2011-03-25_REVISION - C1981041 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Mike Boulay -2- March 23, 2011 SCC: Permit pages 14-18 through 14-21 have been amended and are enclosed. C. Explain the procedure used to combine all reclaimed areas, being compared to the Greasewood/Shadscale reference areas, into a single combined unit. SCC: The two separate areas at Snowcap (those compared to the Greasewood Reference Area vs. those compared to the Shadscale Reference Area) will not be combined into a single unit for weighting and testing. Because of the systematic sampling program, weighting will occur "naturally" for the two circumstances of reclamation as a result of the procedure. "Sampling Methodology" found on new appendix page A14-11-4, submitted with the original application, more fully explains the sampling procedure to be used and current permit pages 14-25 and 14-26 describes how the reclaimed areas will be delineated for comparison to either the Greasewood or Shadschale Reference Areas. 3. DRMS: The cheatgrass in the North Decline Area was treated with Plateau (2005 & 2006) and the area was hydro-seeded in early 2007. In a February 14, 2005 letter (attached), Dan Mathews (CDRMS) said county weed supervisors and BASF (Plateau herbicide) technical support (names and numbers listed) were contacted for guidance on cheatgrass control before the North Decline Area treatment. The issue about contacting area weed district supervisors was raised again in a 2009 letter from CDRMS to J. E. Stover & Associates. Were these authorities contacted after the 2005- 07 treatment with current results for a follow-up consultation? Please include any follow- up consultations, discussions or correspondence in regard to this matter. SCC: Dan Mathews, DRMS, and Tonya Hammond, J. E. Stover & Associates, Inc., met with Dr. George Beck, Extension Weed Specialist from the Colorado State University, in Grand Junction on December 9, 2009. Dr. Beck had been contacted by DRMS to conduct a literature review for them on cheatgrass with the possibility of conducting field studies at local coal mines that were having problems. We had hoped to tour the reclaimed sites at Snowcap Coal, but snow accumulations prevented us from going on site. We did have a chance to discuss with Dr. Beck the control measures that Snowcap had performed at the North Decline (herbicide treatment and interseeding) from 2005 to 2007. This control measure garnered no noticeable, new establishment of seeded species and within a couple of years the presence of cheatgrass was as prevalent as prior to treatment. Dr. Beck had no further suggestions for us at that time. On February 10, 2010, another meeting was held with Dan Mathews and Mike Boulay, DRMS, Tonya Hammond and Jim Stover, J.E. Stover & Associates, and Steve Viert, Cedar Creek Associates. We discussed the 2005 to 2007 cheatgrass treatment and the disappointing results that had been achieved. We also discussed how there had been no improvement at CRDA #1 after interseeding was done in September 2001 on benches 1, 2, 3 and portion of 4. It was decided in this meeting that sampling would be performed on the areas seeded in 2002 or before, including extra transects on areas adjacent to reclaimed areas in order to document the abundance of cheatgrass on undisturbed lands. Upon receiving the 2010 Revegetation Evaluation is was decided