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diversity characteristics associated with the undisturbed Tipple RA site (47.98 %). <br />Maximum Species Diversity Value <br />The current permit species diversity standard for the 1999 Reclamation contains a maximum <br />value of 83 percent for the four most dominant plant species. Data collected from the ASRA in <br />2009 and 2010 yields values of 75.34 and 74.07 percent respectively and averages 74.71 percent <br />total relative cover for the four most dominant species. This means that the current species <br />diversity standard is only 9.98 percent higher than the existing species diversity characteristics <br />associated with the undisturbed vegetation found on the ASRA. <br />At the Tipple reclamation, the current permit species diversity standard contains a maximum <br />value of 75 percent for the three most dominant plant species. Data collected from the Tipple <br />RA in 2009 and 2010 yields values of 38.31 and 57.64 percent respectively and averages 47.98 <br />percent total relative cover for the three most dominant species. This means that the current <br />maximum species diversity standard is 156.32 percent higher than the existing species diversity <br />characteristics associated with the undisturbed vegetation associated with the Tipple RA. <br />Proposed Species Diversity Standards <br />Since the differences between the undisturbed species diversity characteristics and the permit <br />species diversity standards have such a wide range of differences in values: 2.22 %, 12.55 <br />9.98 %, and 156.32 percent, the currently approved standards must be compared with the <br />requirements of the Regulations. The revegetation success standards found in Rule 4.15.8(3), <br />Rule 4.15.8(4), Rule 4.15.8(7), require that cover, production and woody plant density sampling <br />must have a 90 percent statistically similarity between the predisturbance and proposed reference <br />areas for these three parameters. Rule 4.15.11(2) establishes the exact "precision" required to <br />demonstrate statistically similarity for revegetation success relative to plant cover, total <br />herbaceous production and woody plant density sampling. Therein, the levels of statistical <br />"precision" required in the sampling of these three parameters are given as 0.10 percent for plant <br />cover and total herbaceous production and 0.15 percent for woody plant density. KCC believes <br />that it is only appropriate to apply similar levels of precision to the proposed species diversity <br />standards associated with the reclamation at the Marr Mine and Kerr Tipple sites. The issue of <br />species diversity is very similar to woody plant density since it often takes more time to <br />reestablish this parameter than is required to reestablish the required woody plant density. KCC <br />therefore, suggests that it is most appropriate to use the 0.15 level of "precision" in formulating a <br />species diversity standard. An example of how this approach would work is presented below. <br />Proposed Minimum Species Diversity Standard <br />The average percent relative composition of the four most dominant species from the ASRA <br />from the 2009 and 2010 vegetation sampling averages 74.71 percent. Application of the 0.15 <br />percent level of precision would produce a minimum value of 63.50 percent. This would mean <br />that the proposed minimum percent relative cover value contributed by the four most dominant <br />plant species for the 1999 reclamation at the Marr Mine cannot be less than 63.50 percent. <br />At the Kerr Tipple RA, the four most dominant species from the 2009 and 2010 vegetation <br />sampling average 56.81 percent total relative cover. Application of the 0.15 percent level of <br />"precision" would yield a corresponding minimum value 48.29 percent. This means that the