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EXHIBIT 5 <br />and 4.15.11 of the CDRMS regulations were carefully reviewed and discussed in a <br />consultation meeting with Mr. Dan Mathews of the Division regarding the proposed sampling <br />methods and data analysis methods to be used. Written agreement on the sampling <br />methodology used in this evaluation as well as a proper understanding of the recently enacted <br />regulatory amendments was obtained from the CDRMS via e -mail prior to initiating field <br />sampling. In this evaluation, the vegetation parameters of production, plant cover, species <br />diversity and shrub density were sampled. It is anticipated that these vegetation sampling <br />efforts will be ultimately useful in the evaluation of the successfulness of revegetation efforts <br />with respect to plant cover, herbaceous forage production, species diversity, and shrub density. <br />Transect Locations. To ensure that all of the areas within the predisturbance vegetation types <br />and Greasewood reference area being evaluated had an equal chance of being sampled, each <br />vegetation type, often consisting of multiple polygons, was treated as a single sample unit and a <br />totally randomized sampling effort was implemented. Utilizing the existing topographic maps <br />of this site, the extreme north, south, east and west boundaries of each vegetation site sampled <br />were converted to the 1927 Colorado State Plane - Central Zone (NAD 27) coordinate system. <br />The interval used in the state plane coordinate system is based on foot increments. Given the <br />typical real -time accuracy of our GPS unit of plus or minus one meter, all of the vegetation <br />boundaries and sample transect locations were field located at a sub -meter accuracy. <br />Once the boundaries of the proposed vegetation study areas were identified, then using a <br />specially prepared computer program which generates random coordinates, the potential <br />transect location coordinates were identified. These coordinates were then entered into the GPS <br />unit and the transect location starting points were identified in the field using the navigate <br />feature of the GPS unit. At each transect location starting point, the transect direction was <br />determined by selecting a random direction based on the degrees of the compass (0 to 3590). <br />Once the transect orientation was determined, then the 50 -meter tape was laid out across the <br />designated alignment. All transects were kept within the sample unit boundaries. In situations <br />where the transect placement resulted in the transect alignment crossing a sample unit <br />boundary, the transect line was backed up for that portion of which crossed the boundary line <br />180 degrees. Where the 50 -meter tape could not be placed within a narrow vegetation polygon <br />due to boundary constraints, then the transect alignment was changed approximately 90 degrees <br />at the point where the boundary line was crossed to ensure that the entire transect alignment <br />was located within the area to be sampled. <br />Vegetation Transects <br />In the sampling of the vegetation transects, the sampling effort was divided into three phases. <br />Phase I sampling always consisted of 15 combined transects for plant cover, production and <br />shrub density. Once these transects had been analyzed for sample adequacy and if adequacy <br />was achieved, then sampling for cover and shrub density stopped. <br />Phase II sampling corresponded to transects 16 through 30 and usually consisted only of <br />production transects, unless sample adequacy for cover was not achieved and then if necessary <br />