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. SPECIAL ADJUSTMENTS FOR 2009 <br />Per personal communication with Dan Matthews of CDRMS (email dated August 11, 2009), in <br />2009 sample adequacy was pursued and achieved based on all hit herbaceous cover data in the <br />Phase II Bond Release Block, Mountain Brush Reference Area and Sagebrush Reference Area. <br />The Seneca II permit vegetation standard is based on first hit data. This alternative approach was <br />used because it is often is the case all hit herbaceous cover data are less variable. With the all hit <br />mean based on an adequate sample, the ratio of first hit / all hit herbaceous cover was used to <br />adjust the all hit mean to the first hit herbaceous cover level and used in calculating the weighted <br />average that comprises the standard for 2009. As per normal practice then, the 90% of the <br />(calculated weighted) standard was entered into a one sample West with the reclamation area <br />mean first hit herbaceous cover data and its associated standard deviation. <br />HYPOTHESIS TESTING APPROACHES <br />For formal hypothesis testing relative to Phase II Bond Release the following procedures were <br />followed: <br />Cover <br />• To demonstrate Phase 11 Revegetation success, allowable percent absolute (foliar) first hit <br />herbaceous vegetation cover of the 2009 Phase II BRB must be greater than or equal to 90% of <br />TWICE the weighted absolute (foliar) first hit herbaceous vegetation cover from the reference <br />areas. (Weighting proceeded in accordance with the 83% original extent of Mountain Brush / <br />Aspen and 17% original extent of Sagebrush/Snowbery. Cover by noxious weeds was not <br />allowable. Cover by annual/biennial plants in excess of 10% relative cover was also not allowed. <br />The factor of 2x the weighted first hit herbaceous cover of the reference areas is contained in the <br />Seneca 11 permit document). <br />The Mountain Brush and Sagebrush/Snowberry Reference Areas were sampled to adequacy to <br />establish the standards for comparison against reclaimed area values. If, after 15 cover samples <br />were completed in the 2009 Phase II BRB, sample adequacy has been achieved and the <br />reclamation area mean total herbaceous foliar cover and herbaceous production are above 90% <br />of the reference area-derived standard, an affirmative indication of reclamation cover success will <br />be asserted. <br />Were, after gathering 15 or more samples from the BRB, the mean allowable herbaceous cover <br />of the BRB to be greater than the reference area standard, then the hypothesis of reclamation <br />0 6