PERMFILE110373

• Permit No: C1980003
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 1/13/2000
• Section_Exhibit Name: 1996 Rule 4.15 Revegetation
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Rule 4-I S
4.15 REVEGETATION
All revegetation was performed in compliance with plans approved by the MLRD. Vegetationaelated
issues addressed since the January 1987 permit renewal are summarized in the table below. Section
2.05.4(4) describes all revegetation programs conducted at the mine. Previous permit reviews conducted
by the MLRD found reclamation operations to be in compliance with the requirements of Rule 4.15.
Monitoring of revegetation success has been conducted periodically since 1987. Vegetative productivity
data collected from reclaimed areas in 1990 indicated successful establishment of revegetation according
to the criteria for evaluating Phase II bond release success at the H-G mine. Specifically, the 1990 data
demonstrate that.
• The weighted mean of percent cover for the reclaimed area (64.4%) is greater than the weighted
mean for the reference azea (59.7%); and,
• Species diversity on the reclaimed areas meets the diversity standazd for HG that relative cover
for [}tree herbaceous speues not exceed 75% and that any one species should not exceed 40%
cover.
HGCC performed additional vegetation sampling of the reclaimed mine-pit and facility azeas during 1993,
1996 and 1997. The 1993 sampling indicated continuing trends of improvement in revegetation cover and
overall excellent revegetative success. The results of the 1996 and 1997 vegetation sampling indicate that
specific reclamation success standards for vegetative cover, production and species diversity were met
using statistical equations approved by DMG. The data also indicates that the shmb density standazd of
200 stems per acre was also achieved. The 1996 and 1997 sampling results aze found in Exhibit 1 of the
Pbare II/Pbare III ReleareApplicatian.
Further discussion of revegetation results is provided in the following section.
4.15.7 Determining Revegetation Success: General Requirements and Standards
HGCC determined that reference areas would be used to evaluate revegetation success. Prior to
commencing the reference azeas study, a tour of the mine and potential reference azeas was made on June
16 1980, by the following individuals:
Ms. Carol Pahlke and Mr. Jim Herron, Reclamation Specialists, MLRD;
Mr. Cass, Legal of HG Coal Company;
Mr. Larry Jackson, Environmental Engineer for Yampa Muting Company; and
Mr. David Duba, Environmental Engineer for Morrison-Knudsen Company
The purpose of the tour was to identify suitable reference areas and detemilne the necessary information
to be collected in the reference areas study. Prior to initiation of the study, a second meeting was held at
the MLRD offices in Denver on July 25, 1980 with the same people in attendance. The purpose of this
meeting was to review the proposed scope of work with the regulatory personnel. Measuring techniques
were discussed to insure consistenry in sampling methodology.
I[ was decided that measurement techniques used on the reference areas would be the same as those to
be used to evaluate the success of revegetadon on reclaimed sites. The initial reference azea study is
contained in Volume III, Section G, Subsection 2 oJtbe initial permit appk'catlon and is provided in Appendix C
of this document.
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,i,/°,,.. 4.15-1 Revised - 06/01