2010-05-07_PERMIT FILE - C2009087A (17)

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RULE 2 - PERMITS i 2.05.4(2)(e)(vi) Determining Revegetation Success Revegetation success will be determined based on the results of revegetation monitoring in accordance with the applicable Sections of 4.15.7, Determining Revegetation Success — General Requirements and Standards, 4.15.8, Revegetation Success Criteria, 4.15.9, Revegetation Success Criteria: Cropland, 4.15.10, Revegetation Success Criteria: Previously Mined Lands; Areas to be Developed for Industrial or Residential Use, and 4.15.11, Revegetation Sampling Methods and Statistical Demonstrations for Revegetation Success. Revegetation monitoring for the PSCM reclaimed area will occur in the third or fourth, ninth, and tenth year following permanent seeding and unless sampling is to statistical adequacy will not be used for revegetation success statistical evaluations but may be provided to support revegetation success discussions. Revegetation success will comply with Section 4.15.11 and will be evaluated based on the parameters of cover, production, diversity, and woody plant density by comparing statistically adequate quantitative data from the reclaimed area and vegetation reference area or approved technical standards. At the time of revegetation success evaluations and periodically during monitoring, quantitative vegetation data will be collected from the sagebrush grassland reference area established for the Seneca II mine and which will also be used for PSCM revegetation success evaluations. This reference area was established to represent the native sagebrush grassland communities in and around the Seneca II Mine. The sagebrush grassland reference area is representative of the majority of native land new disturbance and most closely represents the established reclaimed lands to be disturbed incidental to PSCM underground mining operations. Over 65 percent of this area will encompass previously reclaimed lands, while approximately 16 percent of the new disturbance will affect sagebrush grassland and a small portion of mesic drainage. Mountain brush disturbance is less than two percent. The remaining 17 percent is comprised of roads, facilities and water. Tthough the established Seneca II Mine mountain brush reference is not applicable to PSCM success evaluations, it will continue to be used for revegetation success evaluations for reclaimed Seneca II Mine lands transferred to PSCM and as described in Exhibit 2.05.4 -E1. The already approved reclamation success standards remain in affect for previously reclaimed Seneca II Mine lands which will be transferred to the PSCM permit area but will not be redisturbed incidental to PSCM underground mining operations These standards and supporting discussion are presented in Exhibit 2.05.4 -E1 of this PAP. These reclaimed lands, based on regulatory program period or age of reclamation, have been designated Bond Release Blocks 1 -5 (BRB 1 -5). Significant acreages of these reclaimed lands have undergone partial or full bond release. Portions of BRB 3 and all or part of BRB 4 and BRB 5 require either Phase II, Phase III, or both Phase II and Phase III bond release. The vegetation evaluations and standards for testing reclamation adequacy on these former Seneca II permit area lands, including weight averaging sagebrush grassland and mountain brush reference data for cover and production, and approving Phase II and Phase III bond release for Seneca II reclaimed lands now within the PSCM permit boundary, remain as originally approved for the Seneca II Mine. In particular, the woody density standard for those Seneca II reclaimed lands incorporated into the PSCM permit area remain as 200 stems per acre background and 2000 stems per acre in concentrated shrub areas. Sampling Intensity - Consistent with the on -going revegetation monitoring and sampling program for the Seneca II Mine, quantitative cover and production sampling will be assessed at sample locations using the methods outlined for these parameters below. PSCM Permit App. 2.05 -47 Revision 03/05/10