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values that were used to calculate the present standard cannot be adjusted. <br />The second problem with the baseline data involves an issue recently clarified as part of the Bond <br />Release Guideline ( Guideline Regarding Selected Coal Mine Bond Release Issues, March 17, <br />1995). Page 7 of that document states: <br />"The allowable relative cover contribution of annual and biennial species shall not exceed 10 <br />percent, or the relative cover of such species in the associated reference ares or approved <br />technical standard, whichever is higher. <br />Under no condition will noxious weeds count toward the success standard." <br />It was proposed and accepted on page 22 of the initial public comments regarding the April 11, <br />1994 draft of the Bond Release Guidelines that deletion of noxious weed, annual, and biennial <br />species cover "from both reference and reclaimed area data sets would be acceptable, and in <br />many cases would simplify the comparison." With regard to the present Meeker cover standard, <br />it is therefore consistent with the above to eliminate annual, biennial, and noxious species cover <br />from the calculations to get the correct target value. <br />The values used to calculate the present standard include cover contributed by noxious weeds and <br />annual and biennial plant species. In contrast to the first problem noted above regarding the <br />baseline data, this situation can be easily rectified. The following species that were sampled <br />during the baseline study were found to be either annual, biennial, or noxious species (see <br />Harrington (1964): Manual of the Plants of Colorado, and Whitson, et al (1992): Weeds of the <br />West for confirmation of lifeform designations). <br />Annual species: <br />Alyssum desertorum <br />Bromus japonicus <br />Bromus tectorum <br />Chenopodium atrovirens <br />Gayophytum diffusum <br />Hordeum pusillum <br />Lappuia redowski <br />Lepidium virginicum <br />Linanthus harknessii <br />Orthocarpus luteus <br />Polygonum douglasii <br />Thlaspi arvense <br />Biennial species: <br />Arabis drummondii <br />Cirsium ochrocentrum <br />Erigeron lonchophylius <br />Revised 8/16/96 <br />/Vk -laP