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There is no steep slope variance request from SCC associated with Permit Revision No. 5. <br />IX. Revegetation <br />Vegetation information reviewed by the Division can be found in Section 2.04.10, Tab 10, Volume 3; <br />Revegetation Plan information is in Section 2.05.4 (2)(e), Tab14, of Volume 5 of the application. <br />Due to the fact that the Roadside and Cameo Mines were existing prior to enactment of SMCRA and <br />the Colorado Act, no baseline vegetation data was collected from areas already disturbed by surface <br />operations and facilities. The permittee established reference areas and gathered the appropriate <br />baseline vegetation information prior to initial issuance of the permit. <br />The vegetation surrounding the disturbed area is a sparsely covered salt desert vegetation type, <br />and along the Colorado River a riparian vegetation type exists. Common salt desert species include <br />grasses such as galleta (Hilaria iamesii), Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides) and squirreltail <br />(Sitanian hystrix) and shrubs such as winterfat (Ceratoides lanata), shadscale saltbush (Atriplex <br />confertifolia) and fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens). The riparian vegetation type is <br />characterized by species including willows (Salix spp.), cottonwoods (Populus spp.), salt cedar <br />(Tamarix parviflora) and bluegrass (Poa spp.). Greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) occurs along <br />the margins of the riparian zone, and along ephemeral and intermittent drainages and adjacent <br />colluvial toe slopes. <br />During 1982, the permittee selected three community study areas to represent communities present <br />prior to disturbance by mining. These study areas encompassed a greasewood shrubland community, a <br />shadscale shrubland community, and a mixed greasewood shadscale community. <br />During the summer of 1982, the study areas were sampled for vegetative cover, herbaceous <br />production, woody plant density, species diversity, and threatened and endangered species. After <br />review of the community character, it was determined that these study areas would serve as reference <br />areas for revegetation success criteria for cover and production for areas previously disturbed. <br />Various issues of concern were identified by the Division during the mid -term review of 1995 and <br />subsequent PR -02 review, including questions regarding the applicability of the original vegetation <br />study areas to serve as reference areas for all current and proposed future disturbance sites. <br />Modifications to revegetation success demonstrations, seedmixes, and various aspects of the <br />revegetation plan were requested, along with an updated endangered plant survey covering areas of <br />proposed future disturbance. All issues of concern raised by the Division during the PR -02 review <br />were adequately addressed. <br />The operator had committed within the PR -02 amendments to conduct additional vegetation studies in <br />areas to be affected by disturbances associated with the proposed CRDA -3, but such studies were not <br />conducted, due to the operator's subsequent decision to withdraw CRDA -3 from the permit. Less than <br />4 acres of additional disturbance did occur within soil borrow area CBA -2 in 2002, in association with <br />CRDA -1 reclamation. An endangered species survey was conducted within this area prior to <br />disturbance, but vegetation cover, production, and woody plant density sampling was not conducted <br />within the CBA -2 borrow area. Based on visual evaluation, and given the small area of disturbance, it <br />is the Division's determination that the greasewood vegetation type within the subject area, is <br />Permit Revision No. 5 42 July 10, 2012 <br />