1981-08-20_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981038

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-33- The vegetation baseline information section of the permit application is presented on pages 142-153, Section 2.04 of Volume 8, and the revegetation plan for Orchard Valley mine can be found on pages 88-97, Section 2.05 of Volume 8A. Information on orchard productivity and reference areas is pre- sented in the Vegetation appendix of volume 7, and the vegetation maps (6A and 6B) can be found in volume 5. These sections of the application have been reviewed by the Division, and with the acceptance by Colorado Westmoreland, Inc. of the following stipulations, the proposed operation is in compliance. The following stipulation is necessary in order that the vegetation inventory report for the Orchard valley mine reference areas will be submitted in it's final form to the Division and incorporated into the permit application. The draft report, which was submitted on August 18, 1981, contains the methods and results of the June, 1981 vegetation inventory of the two reference areas which will be used to measure revegetation success on the two affected plant communities at the mine site (pinyon-juniper and mixed shrub) . For the rail loadout facilities where orchard land has been affected, a crop production standard will be used to evaluate revegetation success (see the Orchard Productivity appendix in volume 7) . The original baseline vegetation inventory was conducted in 1976, but lacked sufficient quantitative data for the proposed reference areas. The 1981 vegetation inventory contains quanti- tative data on vegetation cover, production, density and diversity, and includes an updated species list. COLORADO WESTMORELAND, INC. MUST SUBMIT TO THE DIVISION IN FINAL FORM THE VEGETATION INVENTORY OF THE ORCHARD VALLEY MINE, AS OUTLINED IN THE DRAFT VEGETATION INVENTORY REPORT BY HARNER-WHITE ECOLOGICAL CONSUL- TANTS, INC. , DATED AUGUST 6, 1981. THIS FINAL REPORT MUST BE INCORPORATED INTO THE PERMIT APPLICATION AS PART OF THE VEGETATION APPENDIX IN VOLUME 7. THIS REPORT MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE DIVISION WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE PERMIT ISSUING. During the review, it was requested that the applicant determine an appropriate crop production standard for evaluating revegetation success within the orchard areas, given the 10-year minimum liability period for successful crop- land reestablishment. Currently, Colorado Westmoreland is working with the C.S.U. Austin Experiment Station to develop an appropriate standard (Biomass, fruit yield, D.B.H. , etc.) , but at present, a specific standard has not been submitted to the Division for review. The applicant believes that a standard of fruit yield, based upon empirical data of fruit yield as a function of time in establishing new orchards, will prove to be an appropriate standard for the orchard area. � J