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area reclaimed in October 2003 and which was reseeded again in October 2004, and the Loadout <br />Reclamation, which according to the 2005 Annual Reclamation Report was originally reseeded <br />in 1997 and again for a second time in 1999. <br />Plant Cover. Plant cover was evaluated by sampling along an outstretched 50 -meter transect <br />tape. Along the outstretched tape, a total of ten previously identified and randomly selected <br />intervals were selected as the sample locations along the outstretched tape. These ten points were <br />then used as the sample locations for collecting plant cover. At each designated cover sample <br />point, an inclined metal ten -point frame, one meter in height was positioned perpendicular to the <br />tape and a sharpened metal rod was dropped. Each sampling point was sampled at ten- centimeter <br />intervals along the ten -point frame. Even sample intervals were sampled on the right -hand side <br />of the tape and odd numbers were sampled on the left -hand side of the tape. <br />Each observation was recorded as to the specific plant species encountered as the rod was <br />dropped. If no plant cover was encountered, then the observation was recorded as to the presence <br />of plant litter, rock, bare ground, lichens or cryptograms. Plant material produced in the 2010 <br />growing season which was still attached to the plant was considered as living plant material and <br />all plant material produced in prior years or which had fallen to the ground was considered to be <br />litter. The 100 data points collected along each plant cover transect were then summarized into a <br />single datum for purposes of statistical analysis. Absolute and relative plant cover, species <br />diversity, and plant life forms were determined based upon the observations collected in <br />sampling the plant cover. Since this was only an interim reclamation sampling effort, as <br />provided on page 24 of the Vegetation Guideline, only 10 transects were collected from each <br />reclaimed area and no attempt was made to satisfy sample adequacy. <br />As outlined in the Southfield Mine Permit and in subsequent technical and minor revisions, as <br />approved by the Division, the plant cover standard at the Southfield Mine is based on a "total <br />herbaceous cover" standard (revised permit page 2.05.4 -27), which means that all plant cover <br />including annual and biennial plant and listed noxious weeds are sampled and counted toward <br />the cover standard while the cover contributed by shrubs and trees is excluded.. <br />The Southfield Mine reclamation cover and production success standards are based on reference <br />areas standards, wherein the potential revegetation success standards are based upon a 'weighted <br />average" value based upon the acreage of the two vegetation types disturbed by mining. <br />According to the calculations found on revised permit page 205 .4 -27, submitted in connection <br />with Minor Revision 48, the corresponding success standard is based upon a "weighted average <br />approach" wherein the "weighting factor will reflect 79.8 percent grassland and 20.2 percent <br />ponderosa/pinion/juniper woodland... ". Since this was only an interim reclamation sampling <br />effort, these two reference areas were not sampled. <br />Production. All of the Reclamation Blocks were sampled, using the completely random <br />statistical sampling approach where all production transect locations were randomly located <br />within the appropriate sample unit boundaries. For each production transect, a total of three <br />randomly located one - quarter square meter plots were clipped. The three plots were clipped by <br />life forms for perennial grasses, perennial forbs, annuals and noxious weeds. This was the same <br />3 <br />