mitsubishi cement corporation: south quarry...

Mitsubishi Cement, proposed South Quarry 1 Aspen Environmental Group Revegetation Plan 4 Nov 2010

MITSUBISHI CEMENT CORPORATION: SOUTH QUARRY REVEGETATION PLAN

4 November 2010

Prepared for: MITSUBISHI CEMENT CORPORTATION

5808 State Highway 18 Lucerne Valley, CA 92356

Contact: David Rib, Environmental Coordinator (760) 248‐5184 [email protected]

Prepared by:

ASPEN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP 201 North First Ave., No. 102

Upland, CA 91786 Contact: Scott D. White, Senior Biologist (909) 949‐3686 [email protected]

INTRODUCTION Mitsubishi Cement corporation (MCC) proposes to develop a new limestone quarry (the South Quarry) and associated facilities (e.g. a haul road and supply and equipment storage areas) in the northern San Bernardino Mountains (hereinafter the South Quarry and associated facilities are referred to as the “Project”). The Project would be predominantly on public land managed by the United States Forest Service (USFS) San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) and will require approval of a Plan of Operations by USFS and a Mining and Reclamation Plan by San Bernardino County. Except for a short stretch of haul road, the proposed Project site is located on land consisting of unpatented mining claims, managed by USFS, SBNF. To date, some core sample drilling and related disturbance has occurred, but none of the area has been substantially disturbed. MCC is the owner and applicant for the proposed quarry expansion. This Revegetation Plan was prepared under contract to MCC to supplement the South Quarry Mining and Reclamation Plan Application, in compliance with the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA). In addition to SMARA compliance, this Revegetation Plan is cited as a recommended mitigation measure in the Proposed South Quarry: Biological Technical Report (Aspen 2010) submitted concurrently for San Bernardino County=s project review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). MCC currently operates one limestone quarry (the East Pit) and a second quarry (the West Pit) was approved in 2004 and is currently under development on public and private land in the same area. MCC also operates a cement plant adjacent to the existing quarry. The proposed Project would be located southwest of the existing East Pit. The cement plant would not be affected. The total footprint of the


proposed South Quarry, including a berm at the southern quarry margin, is approximately 130 acres. Project haul road construction (including cut and fill slopes) would cause additional disturbance of approximately 20 acres. Project operation is expected to cause rock and debris roll‐down onto undetermined acreage downslope of the northern Project margin and haul road. Except for a short stretch of haul road, the proposed Project site is located on land consisting of unpatented mining claims, managed by USFS, SBNF. The proposed South Quarry site is north of Burnt Flats, south of the existing Cushenbury East Pit and west of State Highway 18, on the steep northern slope of the San Bernardino Mountains. It is about four aerial miles north of Big Bear City, and nine aerial miles southeast of Lucerne Valley. Elevation ranges from about 5000 feet at the lower end of the proposed new haul road (i.e., the southwest corner of the existing Cushenbury East Pit) to about 6650 feet at the southeast corner of the proposed Project site, near the historic Mohawk Mine site. The entirety of the proposed Project will be located in Sections 14, 15, 22, and 23 (Township 3 North, Range 1 East; shown on the USGS 7½‐minute Big Bear City topographic map). Adjacent lands are generally public open space managed by the USFS. Within the site’s elevational and geographic area, the northern San Bernardino Mountains support a mosaic of shrublands and woodlands, including: desert‐transition chaparral, generally dominated by cupleaf ceanothus, California juniper, bitterbrush, flannelbush, canyon live oak (shrubby form) and bigberry Manzanita; montane desert shrublands dominated by Great Basin sagebrush or rabbitbrush; and woodlands dominated by singleleaf pinyon and shrubby canyon live oak, often with high cover of curlleaf mountain mahogany. These habitats in the general area support a diverse assemblage of vertebrate wildlife. Characteristic reptiles of the area include common lizard species such as western fence lizard, side‐blotched lizard, and western whiptail. Several snake species, including southwestern pacific rattlesnake, California whipsnake, coachwhip, and gopher snake, also occur regularly in the area, though they are less‐commonly observed due to their largely nocturnal behavior. Typical bird species of the area include red‐tailed hawk, mourning dove, and house finch. Mammals of the area included desert woodrat, antelope ground squirrel, mule deer, mountain lion, American badger, and Nelson’s bighorn sheep. Limestone deposits in the northern San Bernardino Mountains, including the Project site, are within the Carbonate Habitat Management Area. This area is defined in the Carbonate Habitat Management Strategy (CHMS; Olson 2003), which was prepared cooperatively with participation by mining operators, the BLM, the San Bernardino National Forest, and the County of San Bernardino to facilitate economic limestone mining while conserving federally listed threatened and endangered carbonate‐endemic plant species. This revegetation plan conforms to revegetation guidelines and success criteria described in Appendix E of the CHMS.


EXISTING CONDITIONS Topography and Hydrology: The Project site is on the steep northern face of the San Bernardino Mountains. Elevation ranges from about 5000 feet at the lower end of the proposed new haul road (i.e., the southwest corner of the existing Cushenbury East Pit) to about 6650 feet at the southeast corner of the proposed Project site, near the historic Mohawk Mine site. Adjacent lands are generally public open space managed by the USFS. The dominant landform is the steep north‐facing mountainside. Average slope is about 35% (about 1000 vertical feet per 2800 horizontal feet). Runoff that originates on‐site and upslope from the Project area flows northeast into unnamed tributaries to Cushenbury Canyon or west into Marble Canyon (also a tributary to Cushenbury Canyon). A delineation of jurisdictional stream channels within the Project site and surrounding areas has been prepared by (Glenn Lukos Associates 2010). Marble Canyon and its tributaries are state‐jurisdictional streambeds, but most or all jurisdictional area within the proposed project footprint is on the access road below the proposed quarry. There are no on‐site or upstream land uses that would affect surface or subsurface water quality for revegetation purposes on‐site. No channels within the Project area are shown as blueline features on the USGS topographic map (USGS Big Bear City topographic map). Geology: The South Quarry’s primary product will be cement‐grade limestone. This commercial‐grade material occurs with a variety of other rock types, including non‐commercial grade limestone or similar carbonate minerals (dolomite) and a variety of granitic rock types. It is often necessary to remove these materials (overburden) to access the commercial quality limestone. Overburden is expected to be minimial and will be deposited within the quarry. No new overburden stockpile areas are proposed. Existing disturbance: With the exception of some soil disturbance resulting from exploratory drilling, the Project site is undisturbed by mining or other prior land uses. Climate: The site is in the northern San Bernardino Mountains, largely in the “rain shadow” of the high ridges to the south and west. The climate is generally Mediterranean in character, influenced by the warmer and drier Mojave Desert to the immediate north. Average annual precipitation is about 12 inches (less at the lower elevations; more at higher elevation) but year to year variance is high. Most precipitation occurs during winter storms. At the higher elevations a portion of winter precipitation falls as snow, which may persist for several months on steep north‐facing slopes. Summers are generally dry, except for occasional but undependable summer thundershowers (Minnich 1976; Minich 1986; Wangler and Minnich 1995; Neel 2000). Soils: Much of the Project site (i.e., on the steep mountainside) is covered by rock outcrops without soil cover. Where soil is present, it is generally shallow (ca. 0.8 ft.; Kielhold 2008). These soils developed in place from limestone or granitic bedrock. Soils throughout the area are high in gravel and rock content; high in calcium content and pH; and relatively low in nitrogen and phosphorous content (see Neel 2000 and attached sample data). These soils tend to be relatively poor substrate for many native plants. In


general, undisturbed native limestone soils in the region support more open and less diverse vegetation than nearby granitic soils. Five listed threatened or endangered plants and several other special status plant are endemic or nearly endemic to similar soils in the region (Special Status Plants & Animals, below). Presumably the chemical composition of limestone and similar carbonate soils is a direct or indirect element of habitat suitability for these plants. Limestone is not toxic to most native plants and does not prevent plant growth. Limestone mining does not cause any known soil toxicity problems that would affect revegetation success. Vegetation: The Project area is covered by pinyon pine woodland. The entire survey area supports woodlands dominated by singleleaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla). Other characteristic species throughout the woodland include Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma), curlleaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius), antelope brush (Purshia tridentata), and shrubby canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis). This vegetation matches the Pinus monophylla Woodland Alliance described by Sawyer et al. (2009). It also matches Holland’s (1986) description of Mojavean Pinyon Woodland, and Laudenslayer and Boggs’s (1988) pinyon‐juniper vegetation. There are steep canyons on the Project site, but no evidence of riparian vegetation (e.g., willows, mulefat, or other characteristic montane riparian species). No running water, pools, or moist soils were noted in these canyons during Aspen’s field surveys and none are reported in the Project’s Jurisdictional Delineation (Glenn Lukos Associates 2010). Pinyon woodland on the site is generally in relatively open stands, characterized by scattered pinyon pines and Utah junipers growing with montane shrubs. This composition is characteristic of early successional pinyon woodlands (Wangler and Minnich 1995; Neel 2000) and also is typical of woodlands on carbonate soils, which tend to be less productive than other soil types. The woodland generally matches Neel's (2000) descriptions of vegetation in the region, based on her extensive sampling on limestone soils throughout the northern San Bernardino Mountains. We did not collect site specific vegetation data for the project. Neel's previous work is directly applicable to the local vegetation, soils, and flora, and provides more precise and detailed vegetation descriptions than recommended in SMARA guidelines for project site data collection. In Neel's (2000) description, Singleleaf Pinyon Series is dominated in the overstory by singleleaf pinyon pine and several characteristic shrub species, including Great Basin sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), green ephedra (Ephedra viridis), narrowleaf goldenbush (Ericameria linearifolia), and antelope brush. Average overstory (tree canopy) cover was about 25% and average shrub cover was about 49%. That description is comparable to the pinyon woodlands on the proposed South Quarry site. Other descriptive characteristics of local pinyon woodlands are shown below, in Table 1.


Table 1. Vegetation characteristics of pinyon woodlands on limestone soils in the northern San Bernardino Mountains (from Neel 2000). Vegetation type Tree

cover Shrub cover

Shrub + tree cover

Shrub + tree species richness

Tree density

Pinyon woodland (including mixed stands w/ Utah juniper or Canyon live oak and early-successional shrub-dominated stands)

25% 49% 74% 10 spp. / 0.1 ac. plot

84 / ac.

Special Status Plants & Animals: Five federally listed threatened or endangered plant species occur on limestone soils in the northern San Bernardino Mountains, and three of these were found on the site (Aspen Environmental Group 2010): Cushenbury buckwheat and Cushenbury oxytheca were found throughout much of the Project site, and Parish’s daisy was found less commonly, at one location on the proposed haul road alignment and one location within the proposed South Quarry. It also was found at several additional locations downslope of the South Quarry boundary, which may be subject to rock and debris roll‐down. Cushenbury milk‐vetch was not found on the site. Aspen field surveys. There also are no prior reports of this plant from the survey area. The Project site is within designated critical habitat for Cushenbury buckwheat and Cushenbury oxytheca (USFWS 2002). Several other special status plants occur on the Project site. These include Coville’s dwarf abronia, Parish’s onion, Pinyon rock‐cress, Shockley’s rock cress, San Bernardino Mountains dudleya, and Parry’s sunflower. No special status wildlife species were observed on the site during field surveys, but habitat there is suitable for several vertebrates and invertebrates, including Andrews’ marble butterfly, gray vireo, and Nelson’s bighorn sheep. These and other special status species are discussed further in the biological technical report (Aspen Environmental Group 2010). None of the special status wildlife species potentially occurring on the site is listed as threatened or endangered. Consistent with recommendations of the Biological Technical Report (Aspen 2010), this plan is intended to enhance or restore suitable habitat for listed carbonate‐endemic plants and enhance both foraging and cover habitat for Nelson’s bighorn sheep. There are no specific requirements to include listed threatened or endangered plants in revegetation, though MCC may choose to introduce these plants onto revegetated sites. Under the CHMS, successful introduction of the listed plants may serve as credit for impacts of future proposed mining. Protected plants: The San Bernardino County Native Plant Protection policy (1989) regulates removal of trees greater than 6 inches diameter at breast height (dbh) and all plants in the agave family, including Joshua trees and other Yucca species. Future quarry operations would remove numerous pinyon pines greater than 6 inches dbh and some yuccas. We did not quantify the number of trees and yuccas to be removed because of steep and unsafe slopes. Consistent with recommendations of the Biological


Technical Report (Aspen 2010), this plan includes measures to salvage yuccas (where safe) and to include pinyon pines in the revegetation plant palette as suitable. We used aerial photography to estimate the number of large trees (presuming that they are 6" dbh or larger), as follows: We estimated an average of 21 trees per acre. For the 150‐acre project footprint (excluding potential roll‐down areas), we estimate a total of 3,150 trees 6" dbh or larger would be lost. Note that this number is intended only as an estimate of trees subject to regulation under the County's Native Plant Protection Policy. We did not attempt to inventory smaller sized trees as a baseline parameter for revegetation planning; we use Neel's (2000) data, above, for that purpose. This plan proposes to mitigate the lost trees through new tree planting (Phase 2 revegetation, described below). POST‐MINING CONDITIONS MCC proposes to develop the Project in phases, described in the Plan of Operations and Reclamation Plan. Upon completion of mining at any given site (e.g., a quarry bench or a larger area associated with a project phase), the mined areas will generally be barren of vegetation except possibly for scattered patches of undisturbed native species surrounded by mining‐disturbed areas, or patchy native and alien weedy species which may “volunteer” onto the site. Quarry benches and floors will be fractured bedrock with no soil cover. Portions of the South Quarry to be mined during early phases of the Project would be back‐filled with overburden material during later phases. Thus, much of the proposed revegetation will be onto waste rock surfaces composed of rock and crushed rock without most soil components or structure (organic material, etc.). The faces will be loose rocks of varying size with no surface soil but perhaps with some sandy or gravelly material near the surfaces. The surfaces of roll‐down slopes will be similar to waste rock disposal areas, though the loose rock will be shallower and native colluvial soil may be near enough the surface to allow plants to root. Roads and equipment staging areas will consist mostly of barren bedrock surfaces, with compacted rock debris or heavily compacted native soils in some places. Closed quarry benches, quarry floors, overburden surfaces, and roads will be accessible to workers and equipment via existing access roads throughout the reclamation period. But roll‐down areas and the slopes beneath overburden surface areas will be made up of loose rock and will be too steep and unstable for safe access. There is minimal likelihood of soil erosion occurring within the Project area during reclamation because the quarry and overburden will consist mainly of rock (rather than finer material). REVEGETATION GOALS AND RATIONALE The proposed post‐mining land use is vacant open space for native habitat, consistent with the site’s RC zoning. The primary goals of this revegetation plan are to establish sufficient density and diversity of native species where access permits to: 1. Mitigate any visual impacts (i.e., introduce shrubby vegetation so that disturbed areas blend into surrounding undisturbed slopes as viewed from downslope). 2. Initiate biological productivity so that natural process can operate to more fully restore diversity and ecological function (Walker and del Moral 2003).


3. Enhance or restore suitable habitat for listed carbonate‐endemic plants and enhance both foraging and cover habitat for Nelson’s bighorn sheep. 4. Mitigate losses of protected plants (all yuccas and all trees > 6" dbh), per the San Bernardino County Plant Protection Policy). 5. Conform to state Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA). 6. Conform to Carbonate Habitat Management Plan revegetation guidelines and success criteria (Appendix E of the CHMS). The primary detriments to eventual reclamation are soil availability; steep bedrock or talus slopes; access; arid climate and consequent inherently slow vegetation recovery; and (perhaps) weed invasion. Reclamation and vegetation recovery will by necessity be slow. Revegetation to present conditions is not a realistic strategy because most of the mining‐disturbed sites will have little or no soil cover and the slow natural establishment of pinyon pines and other late‐successional plants, even where soil is present. Revegetation is not intended to replace mature vegetation within the monitoring timeframe provided, but instead to establish a trend toward its eventual development. Aronson and coauthors (1993) defined this revegetation strategy as “rehabilitation” (in contrast with “restoration”). A brief review of pertinent ecological literature is provided below in support of this general rationale. Regional vegetation response to disturbance: Pinyon pines are slow to recolonize on disturbed sites. For example, Wangler and Minnich (1996) studied historic burned areas in the San Bernardino Mountains and found that pinyon pines begin to recruit back about 40 years following fire, and mature pinyon pine stands took more than 100 years to develop. Characteristic post‐fire shrubs in these woodlands include rabbitbrush, Great Basin sagebrush, California fremontia, and cupleaf ceanothus. Pinyon pine seeds are dispersed into the vegetation by wildlife (primarily by seed‐caching jays) and seedlings may appear in the first years after fire, but these seedlings generally do not survive. Instead, young pinyon pines become established only after a shrubland develops. The young pinyons generally grow up through a “nurse plant” (Meeuwig et al. 1990). Canyon live oaks are common in pinyon woodlands on north‐facing slopes in the proposed permit area. Oaks regenerate after fire by resprouting from basal burls which survive fire (Plumb 1980). But no burls will be present following mining, and oaks can only be reestablished onto the mining‐disturbed areas from seed or introduced nursery stock. Similar to pinyon pines (above) canyon live oak seeds (acorns) are animal‐dispersed and seedlings are tolerant of shade during their development (Thornburgh 1990). Rabbitbrush, Great Basin sagebrush, California fremontia, and cupleaf ceanothus tend to colonize burned sites (Wangler and Minnich 1996) and persist for several decades. Sagebrush persists for many years beyond that. These tend to be the characteristic on upland post‐fire sites where residual soil overlies natural bedrock. We anticipate that revegetation using these species will greatly enhance eventual recovery of native pinyon woodlands and that these “pioneer” species will remain a part of


established vegetation for many years beyond the monitoring period proposed here. However this strategy will be limited to suitable sites, where soil is available. The most characteristic shrub on steep talus and rock faces in the area is curl‐leaf mountain mahogany. This is a large, slow‐growing shrub with wind‐dispersed seeds, and young plants are often is seen in open, disturbed places. Other species often seen on steep, eroding slopes are rabbitbrush and matchweed. Previous revegetation projects at other quarry sites in the area have shown that perennial grasses, rabbitbrush, matchweed, and brittlebush have been effective early‐colonizers. These plants generally do well in disturbed areas, but can be excluded over time, if taller, long‐lived plants come to dominate a site. Plan rationale: Realistic planning cannot seek to replace mature shrublands or woodlands dominated by slow‐recruiting species (e.g., pinyon pine) within a reasonable monitoring period. Instead, this plan is designed to establish suitable conditions, including “nurse shrubs,” so that characteristic “climax” species seedlings can become established, and then introduce those seedlings onto the sites after suitable shrub cover develops. Thus, revegetation will be two‐phased at any given site. The initial phase will consist of site preparation, soil & mulch application, seeding, and maintenance of a several years, until the site is suitable for introduction of characteristic “climax” shrubs and trees. In the second phase, potted pinyon pines, live oaks, and perhaps curl‐leaf mountain mahogany will be planted in the established shrubland, beneath selected shrubs. Two‐phased revegetation will be implemented on selected “islands” throughout accessible parts of the post‐mining project site. Over time, developing shrubland islands are intended to trap windborne seed and attract birds and small mammals, further enhancing dispersal of seed and mycorrhizal spores onto the island. Once established, these islands are intended to serve as source material for seed dispersal into the remainder of the disturbed area. Some mining‐disturbed areas (debris roll‐down areas and downslope faces of overburden sites) are not safely accessible. These areas will be hydroseeded from accessible points upslope or downslope to introduce rabbitbrush and curl‐leaf mountain mahogany onto as much of the area as possible, but no further revegetation work will be attempted. Plan objectives: • Establish “islands” of native shrubs and perennial grasses covering at least 30% of sites where

access allows • Establish young pinyon pine and canyon live oak seedlings and salvaged yuccas onto

revegetated islands after initial shrub “nurse plant” establishment • Establish some cover of rabbitbrush and curl‐leaf mountain mahogany on roll‐down and

overburden sites (limited to range of hydroseed equipment spraying from accessible roads)


• Revegetate disturbed sites progressively over the life of the permit as mining or related disturbance is completed at any given site, to maximize the acreage of extent of reclamation completed before site closure

Limitations of the plan: No seeding with annual herbs is proposed as a revegetation requirement because their seeds generally are not available from suppliers; on‐site availability is undependable; and annual plants contribute relatively little to wildlife habitat structure. We recognize the importance of annual species to diversity and ecological function, and recommend incorporating them in the seeding mix as available (Table 3). No fertilizers or soil amendments will be provided because they tend to promote high weed cover, and ultimately retard the success of native plants. No revegetation is planned for roll‐down areas and downslope overburden faces except hydroseeding as far as possible onto the sites from vehicle‐accessible points above or below the slopes. No revegetation is planned for rock faces above each quarry bench. No success criteria are proposed for the hydroseeded roll‐down areas and overburden faces. Seeding on these sites is intended only to establish some scattered native shrub cover but the sites cannot be safely or effectively managed or monitored after seeding. SUCCESS CRITERIA Over the recommended ca. 10 year monitoring period at each revegetated site, characteristic “climax” species will not grow large enough to establish cover approaching that of the surrounding undisturbed lands, and species composition will favor early‐successional species. Thus, there is no requirement to establish mature woodlands or shrublands similar to those now present in parts of the site. Instead, success criteria state minimum shrub cover and species richness thresholds in revegetated areas, and minimum numbers of young “climax species” so that overstory cover will develop over time. These success criteria are based on the revegetation guidelines and success criteria described in Appendix E of the Carbonate Habitat Management Strategy and vegetation data from Neel 2000 (see Table 1 above). Quantitative thresholds for vegetation cover and climax species densities may be adjusted if more precise site‐specific data are available in the future. A given revegetation site may be any vehicle‐accessible mining‐disturbed site within the permit area, such as a quarry bench, overburden surface, or haul road. If the site has been revegetated in an “island” pattern (see Plan Rationale, above), then the quantitative thresholds below are intended to apply only to the islands. At a minimum, successfully revegetated islands must make up 30% of each revegetation site (by this standard, a 10‐acre revegetation site may consist of 3 acres of actively revegetated “islands” and 7 acres of untreated quarry surface; the site would be considered complete for the purpose of SMARA‐mandated revegetation, but only 3 acres would meet CHMS standards for revegetation credit). Any successful or complete revegetation site will have had no management‐related manipulation (e.g., weeding, irrigation, seeding, or planting) for at least three years immediately prior to evaluation for completion.


The success criteria below are minimum thresholds for quantitative descriptive characteristics of vegetation on reclamation sites. These characteristics will be evaluated from data collected during monitoring (Monitoring Plan, below). In general, completion would be at the close of a 10‐year monitoring period, though revegetation sites may be evaluated for success earlier or later than the 10‐year period at MCC’s discretion. • Successfully revegetated islands (per the criteria below) islands must make up at least 30% of

the total area on any given revegetation site. • Regardless of the date of initial planting or seeding, any given site must be without active

manipulation by weeding, irrigation, planting, or seeding for a minimum of three years prior to evaluation for successful completion.

• Native shrub and tree cover will be at least 50% that of predisturbance cover in baseline data (see Table 1; summed native shrub and trees cover estimated as 74% for woodlands). Thus, revegetated woodland cover must reach 37% to meet this criterion (summed shrub and tree cover).

• Native tree and shrub species richness will average at least 50% the native tree and shrub species richness in undisturbed reference vegetation (see Table 1; baseline estimated as 10 species / 0.1 acre plot). Thus, revegetated woodlands must have at least 5 native tree and shrub species per 0.1 acre reference plot.

• Seedling and sapling tree density (i.e., trees/acre) in revegetated woodlands will reach at least 50% of overstory tree density in undisturbed reference vegetation (see Table 1; baseline values estimated as 84 trees/acre in pinyon woodlands [mostly pinyon pines]). Thus, revegetated woodlands must have at least 42 surviving seedling and sapling trees/acre.

• Non‐native species cover will be no more than 15% absolute cover and annual monitoring data will show a downward trend documented by a declining regression coefficient.

• None of the plants identified as “invasive exotics” in Appendix E of the CHMS (p. 68) will be present on the revegetation site as of the date of approval.

• At least 50% of salvaged yucca plants will be reintroduced to revegetation sites and will be alive and stable as of the completion date.

Where these criteria for success are achieved, sites should be expected to continue on a trend toward eventual development as native shrubland or woodland, eventually dominated by characteristic native species of surrounding shrublands and woodlands. TEST PLOTS SMARA requires mine operators to test revegetation strategies on “test plots” prior to implementing revegetation more widely throughout the mine areas. MCC, other operators, and the USFS have revegetated similar sites on closed limestone quarries in the northern San Bernardino Mountains using shrubs and perennial grasses. Shrub and grass establishment has generally been successful within 5‐10 year monitoring periods. Revegetation efforts to date have included soil transferred directly without


stockpiling, and other sites where soil was stockpiled several years prior to revegetation. To date, revegetation projects generally have not included characteristic "climax" species (oak and pinyon pine) included in this revegetation plan. Under this revegetation plan, two types of test plots are planned: test plots to experiment with replacement soil composed mostly of crusher fines, and plots to test climax species establishment. Crusher fines: Due to low volume of salvagable soil available, MCC will use crusher fines (i.e., sandy limestone material produced at the quarry site as a by‐product of crushing large rock into smaller material suitable for further processing). Crusher fines will be mixed with varying proportions of organic mulch or mycorrhizal inoculum and spread onto previously‐disturbed experimental revegetation sites in or near the Project area. If possible, all test plots will be located where no future disturbance will occur, but if necessary the plot sites may be eliminated 5 years or longer after planting (i.e., after results are known). A minimum of six plots will be treated, to compare seeding success on crusher fines with various amendments. Each plot will be at least 30 ft. x 30 ft. They will be designated and treated as follows: (1) crusher fines alone; (2) crusher fines with 10% by volume organic mulch added; (3) crusher fines with 20% by volume organic mulch added; (4) crusher fines with mycorrhizal inoculum alone; (5) crusher fines with 10% by volume organic mulch and mycorrhizal inoculum; and (6) crusher fines with 20% by volume organic mulch and mycorrhizal inoculum. All plots will be located on previously mined quarry sites; crusher fines (with or without mulch) will be six to 12 inches deep. All plots will be seeded with a mix of early ‐successional perennial grasses and shrubs. Seed mixes and other management will be the same at all plots, based on specifications and implementation, below. Final revegetation specifications will be modified as needed, based on results from the test plots. Depending on revegetation success in the first series of test plots, additional trials may be added in future years (5‐year interval recommended) to experiment with alternate soil amendments. Climax species: New test plots for pinyon pine and canyon live oak seedlings (phase 2 revegetation) will be established on inactive or closed sites within the Project area or elsewhere in MCC’s operations area. Test plots for these species will be on previously disturbed sites at or above 5000 feet elevation where Phase 1 revegetation or its equivalent is complete with east, north, or west‐facing exposures, but not on south‐facing exposures. Phase 1 revegetation or its equivalent will have been completed on the plot site, so that native early‐successional shrubs and perennial grasses will have been reestablished, with sufficient shrub cover to serve as “nurse plants” for a meaningful sample of seedling nursery stock. MCC will contract with a nursery to grow pinyon pine and canyon live oak seedlings from local seed sources. The nursery stock will be approximately 1‐gallon size at planting, preferably rooted in deep containers for maximum root depth and root:shoot ratio (keeping in mind the shallow soil overlying bedrock). Trees will be planted in fall. Seedlings will be planted near the bases of established shrubs to maximize protection from sun and wind. Nursery stock will be well watered at planting. The site will be monitored and watered (from a


truck) to supplement natural rainfall, as needed. Seedling growth and survival will be inventoried annually over a 5‐year period. If possible, test plots will be located where no future disturbance will occur, but if necessary the plot sites may be eliminated 5 years or longer after planting (i.e., after results are known). A minimum of four plots will be treated. Each plot will be at least 30 ft. x 30 ft., with at least 30 potted tree seedlings planted in each one (planting densities are deliberately higher than tree densities in natural vegetation). Two plots each will be located and planted as follows: (1) two plots below 5500 ft. elevation; (2) two plots on mountain slopes above 6000 ft. elevation. Depending on revegetation success in the first series of test plots, additional trials may be added in future years (5‐year interval recommended) to experiment with alternate treatments. SPECIFICATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION A. Responsible Party: Mitsubishi Cement Corp. B. Schedule: Revegetation tasks, beginning with seed inventory, will begin upon approval of the revegetation plan, presumed to be in 2012. Reclamation and revegetation in any given part of the permit area will commence when mining will no longer affect the area. This will allow vegetation recovery within some parts of the Project site before final shut down, and release of the performance bond in fractions, as reclamation is completed at each area. Revegetation on most of the Phase IV mining and waste stockpile areas, and on the haul road and other facility sites, will occur at final closure, estimated to be in 2130, and revegetation on some access roads will be delayed until no further access is needed. The reclamation schedule, including revegetation, will be based upon mining progress which, in turn, will depend on variable market conditions. Revegation phases are shown in Table 2 and revegetation tasks are listed in Table 3. Table 2: Mining and Reclamation Schedule.

Site and Estimated Years of Operation 1

Reclamation

Debris roll‐down areas (downslope sides of haul road and Phases IA, IB, and II)

Hydroseed downslope debris from upper margin as mining progresses below grade.

Phase IA (northwest area, including haul road), years 1‐5

Reclaim and revegetate benches concurrently with mining progress; retain haul road access throughout active life of quarry.

Phase IB (southeast area), years 6‐82, including waste rock deposition

Reclaim and revegetate benches above 6300 ft. elevation on SW side of quarry and above 6150 ft. on NE side concurrently with mining progress; reclaim and revegetate waste rock stockpile surface when final contour is reached, concurrently with mining of Phases II and III


Phase II (central area) years 26‐42 Reclaim and revegetate benches above level of future waste rock stockpile (max. ht. = 300 ft.) concurrently with mining progress; reclaim and revegetate waste rock stockpile surface when final contour is reached, concurrently with mining of Phases III and IV.

Phase III (central area), years 43‐82 Reclaim and revegetate benches concurrently with mining progress.

Phase IV (central area), years 83‐120

Reclaim and revegetate benches and quarry floor concurrently with mining progress.

Closure, year 120 Reclaim and revegetate haul road and all remaining quarry and facility sites.

1. Refer to Plan of Operations and Reclamation Plan (MCC, September 2010) C. Plant Material Inventory: Upon approval of the mining and reclamation plan, and annually thereafter, MCC will review this revegetation plan to determine quantities of seed or nursery stock needed for at least the following 5 years and will arrange with contractors to collect, prepare, and store that material. An example of an annual seed inventory accounting sheet is attached. D. Ingress / Egress: Site access for reclamation and revegetation work will be via existing and proposed new roads to be developed during mining operations. Roads needed for continued monitoring or remediation access will be reduced to 15‐ft. width by ripping and revegetation, but 15‐ft. access routes will be retained until no further vehicle access is needed for revegetation or monitoring work. There will be no access to debris roll down areas. E. Land shaping, Grading, Drainage: Grade to contours as specified in the Plan of Operations and Reclamation Plan (MCC 2010). Maximize accessibility for revegetation by leaving ramps or other vehicle routes in place until completion of revegetation at any given site. Retain vehicle access at upper margins of debris roll‐down areas until hydroseeding is complete. F. Protections for Extant Vegetation: Established native plants within reclamation sites can provide seed sources, bird perches, and other natural functions to accelerate revegetation progress. If remnant patches of native vegetation occur within areas to be reclaimed and revegetated, or if native shrubs have volunteered onto reclamation sites, these plants will be protected as feasible (i.e., if occupied sites are topographically consistent with final contour requirements). If they occur where heavy equipment will be operating, then the plants and buffer areas surrounding them will be delineated with brightly colored barriers (e.g., orange plastic mesh construction fencing) to prevent damage.


Table 3. Revegetation Plan Schedule (dates approximate).

TASK START END FREQUENCY TASK DESCRIPTION REPORTING Ongoing throughout life of Project 1 2011 closure annual Review and update seed & nursery stock

inventory; collect or purchase seed for revegetation and inventory as needed

Annual progress report to file

2 2011 2016 once, or additional as needed

Prepare, plant and monitor test plots for amended crusher fines and climax plant species

Annual progress report to file (incl. photos)

3 2011 closure annual Stockpile crusher fines as needed for pending revegetation areas


4 2011 closure annual Review upcoming activities; salvage soil and transfer to revegetation site (Task 5) or stockpile site. Seed stockpiles as needed for erosion control and to maintain biological activity.


5 2011 closure annual Review ongoing mining status, identify all areas where mining completed; proceed with full closure and reclamation on those areas.


Revegetation subschedule for each closed mining‐disturbed site. 6 yr. 1 yr. 1 once / site Reveg. phase 1 on: final contouring,

protect extant native vegetation, site prep. (retain 15‐ft. access), seed & irrigate (per specs. below)

As‐built plan w/ photos to file; summarize in annual report

7 yr. 2 yr. 9 annual Qualitative and quantitative monitoring (per monitoring plan, below)


8 yr. 2 yr. 7 annual Maintenance or remediation as needed (per maintenance & remediation specs. below; maintenance and remediation to cease 3 years prior to final evaluation)


9 yr. 6 yr. 6 once / site Reveg. phase 2: plant potted nursery stock


10 yr. 10 yr. 10 once / site (pending results)

Completion report for reclaimed site; partial release of bond as applicable (pending monitoring results )

Report to County and SBNF

Following closure (estimated as 2131) 11 closure once Remove structures & equipment; Phase

1 revegetation on all remaining disturbed sites except access roads as needed (see Task 6)

As‐built plan w/ photos to file; summarize in annual report

12 yr. 5 post‐

once Phase 2 reveg. on bulk of closed areas; close most remaining access roads;

As‐built plan w/ photos to file;


closure Phase 1 revegetation on closed access roads

summarize in annual report

13 yr. 10 post‐closure

once (pending results)

Completion report for bulk of reclaimed acreage; close remaining access roads; Phase 1 or 2 revegetation on access roads




Completion report for most access road reclamation; Phase 2 revegetation on remaining access roads




Completion report for access road reclamation; final closure report


G. Plant salvage: Where accessible by rubber‐tired vehicles (generally a backhoe), any cacti, Mojave yucca (Yucca schidigera), chaparral yucca (Y. whipplei) and Joshua trees (Y. brevifolia) suitable for salvage will be collected from work sites before or during removal of soil or brush from mining expansion areas. Mojave yucca and Joshua trees will not be salvaged if they are larger than 6 feet tall or have more than two lateral branches. Cactus and yucca plants will be salvaged during their dormant season (August ‐ February). North‐facing sides of each plant will be marked prior to salvage. Yuccas will be removed with soil and root systems intact to the extent practicable (proportionally more soil and root for larger plants). Cacti will be removed with a minimum of 6" of intact primary root. Yuccas will be transplanted directly to a revegetation site or irrigated nursery area and “watered in” with a rooting hormone solution. Cacti will be stored in a dry, shaded site for two to four weeks to allow roots to heal, then transferred to a revegetation site or irrigated nursery area for longer‐term holding, and “watered in” with a rooting hormone solution. H. Soil Salvage, Storage, and Inventory: Soil is most effective in revegetation if it is transferred directly to the revegetation site, avoiding stockpiling (Newton and Claassen 2003; Walker and del Moral 2003; Bainbridge 2007). Stored soil declines in its biological activity over a few years time and often becomes heavily burdened with weed seed during the storage period. MCC will make every effort to salvage as much soil as feasible before beginning mining at quarry areas. To minimize the need for stockpiling and to maximize soil effectiveness in revegetation success, soil salvage from new mining areas will be scheduled to coincide with site preparation for reclamation at completed mine areas, to the extent practicable. Woody vegetation will be salvaged with soil, crushed by equipment during salvage and loading process, and transported with the soil to reclamation or stockpile sites.


Where soil storage cannot be avoided, soil will be stockpiled as shallowly as feasible at sites to be designated by the operator. Stockpiles will be seeded with native perennial grass (e.g., desert needlegrass, Indian ricegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, or Parish’s needlegrass) to minimize erosion and weed establishment, and to maximize survival of soil microorganisms. Woody material (crushed shrubs and roots) will be transferred directly to reclamation sites for use as mulch, or left in the stockpiled soil and transferred with soil to reclamation sites. Topsoil salvage on steep mountain slopes is technically difficult and salvaged soil will not be enough to fully cover the post‐mining reclamation areas. MCC will review soil inventories and upcoming salvage or revegetation areas annually to determine needed soil quantities to revegetate at minimum 30% of the area on every revegetation site. As needed, MCC will stockpile crusher fines and acquire organic mulch for use in each year’s upcoming revegetation. I. Post‐mining Surface Preparation: 1. Inaccessible roll‐down areas and overburden faces: No surface preparation is proposed on inaccessible sites. 2. Accessible quarry benches, floors, work areas, overburden surfaces, etc.: When reclamation begins, the quarry benches, floors, roads, staging areas, and other compacted areas will be decompacted, fractured or roughened to the extent feasible using a loader or other equipment (e.g., by deep ripping; dragging; scraping with loader bucket teeth, or other practicable measures). Soil will be placed and spread as widely as possible (based on volume available), to a depth of 6‐12 inches. Surfaces will not be smoothed. If available soil is insufficient to spread over a given the reclamation area, then it will be applied in scatted patches, the size and arrangement to be determined based on volume. At a minimum, 30% of any revegetation site will be covered with soil or soil substitute (crusher fines mixed with mulch, above). Stockpiled soil will contain seed of weedy plants abundant throughout the region (though seeding stockpiles with native grasses is intended to minimize this problem). If weed seed content is high, it should be minimized before transferring stockpiled topsoil to the revegetation site, by allowing weed seed to germinate, then destroying the young plants before they set new seed. This can be most easily accomplished by collecting soil from the stockpile site in early spring, after weeds have germinated but before they set new seed, then transferring it to a reclamation site. If soil surfaces are vulnerable to erosion, mulching or other control measures will be taken. Hay is a suitable mulch for arid land revegetation (except in riparian areas); it is likely to introduce non‐native seed but the arid environment will prevent agricultural species and weeds from becoming established. Chipped yard waste, rice hulls, or rice straw are suitable alternatives. If needed, V‐ditches, riprap, silt collectors, or straw bales may also be employed.


Most native plants have symbiotic relationships with soil microorganisms, called mycorrhizal fungi, which enhance the plant's ability to take up mineral nutrients from the soil. Compacted and stockpiled soils will have little or no living mycorrhizae, and crusher fines will have none. Mycorrhizae spores disperse naturally via wind or animal dispersal vectors, but may not reach the site in sufficient quantities to improve revegetation success within the monitoring period (Walker and del Moral 2003). If test plots indicate substantial improvement in vegetation performance on mycorrhizae‐treated plots, then mycorrhizal inoculum will be added to any soil substitute during transport and spreading to assure that some of the material is a few inches deep in the soil. Mycorrhizal inoculum is commercially available from several sources, including Tree of Life Nursery (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.). Except for mycorrhizal inoculum (above), no fertilization or other soil amendments are proposed for native soils. Except for the revegetation, as described here, no other slope protection or erosion controls are proposed. J. Irrigation system: Temporary irrigation systems will be installed at each revegetation site. Systems will consist of a water tank and overhead “rainbird” type sprinklers. Revegetation sites will be irrigated periodically at MCC’s discretion to ensure native plant establishment. Irrigation systems will be removed at least 3 years prior to final monitoring at any given site. K. Seed Application and Species Mix (Phase I Revegetation): 1. Inaccessible roll‐down areas and overburden faces: Anywhere slopes beneath the quarry or haul road become covered by roll‐down rock debris, these slopes will be seeded from above, using hydroseed equipment. Vehicle access to the upper margins of the sites will be retained until hydroseeding is complete. These sites will be seeded while wind is blowing downslope (south to north) and the seed mix will be sprayed as far downslope as the equipment is capable of. Seed mix will consist only of rabbitbrush and curl‐leaf mountain mahogany. 2. Accessible quarry benches, floors, work areas, overburden surfaces, etc.: Seed will be applied either by hydroseeding or by mechanical or hand sowing. No mulches or fertilizers other than those needed for application will be included in the seed mix. After seeding, small sites will be raked or dragged by hand; larger sites will be will be dragged with a chain or similar equipment to slightly cover seeds with soil. Seed application rates will total at least 60 pounds pure live seed (PLS; Newton and Claassen 2003) per acre. PLS rates will be calculated by sampling on‐site seed collections or provided by a seed vendor. MCC will not purchase seed or contract for seed collection except from vendors who provide PLS analysis for each species. The seed mix will be prepared, based on price and availability, from species lists in Tables 4 and 5 (below). Table 4 lists required species and seeding rates to be included in the mix. Table 5 includes additional species to be added, based on availability. We recommend using as many native species as possible, even at low rates, to maximize plant diversity on the reclaimed sites. Total seeding rate on any given site will be 60 lb. per acre or greater. Depending on seed availability, other species may be selected to replace those listed in Table 5. Any replacement species will be locally native, and occur on or near the project site at similar exposure and


elevation. All seed to be used in revegetation will originate from the northern San Bernardino Mountains region between about 5000 and 6500 ft. elevation. MCC will require seed vendors to provide collection site and elevation for each seed lot, and will not purchase or use seed originating outside these geographic and elevational bounds. MCC will contract local or on‐site seed collections if needed to supplement or replace vendor supplies. Table 4: List of required seed, by species and quantities:

Common name Latin name lb. / acre GRASSES Desert needlegrass Stipa speciosa (= Achnatherum speciosum) 10 lb / ac Indian ricegrass Oryzopsis hymenoides (= Stipa hymenoides;

Achnatherum hymenoides) 10

Parish’s needlegrass Stipa coronata var. depauperata (=Achnatherum parishii)

10

SHRUBS Bigberry manzanita1 Arctostaphylos glauca 2 Great Basin sagebrush Artemisia tridentata 5 Cupleaf ceanothus1 Ceanothus greggii 2 Curl‐leaf mountain mahogany

Cercocarpus ledifolius 10

Common rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus nauseosus 5 Green ephedra Ephedra viridis 5 California fremontia Fremontodendron californicum 5 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium 5 1. Seed requires treatment to break dormancy before application; see Emery 1988 and Schopmeyer 1974. Table 5: List of additional species. These or other locally native species should be added to the seed mix, depending upon availability, at no more than 2 pounds / acre / species.

Common name Latin name 3‐awn grass Aristida purpurea Squirreltail Elymus elymoides (Sitanion hystrix) Nodding bluegrass Poa secunda Douglas’s rattleweed Astragalus douglasii Greenleaf manzanita Arctostaphylos patula Curl‐leaf rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus San Bernardino Mountain buckwheat

Eriogonum microthecum var. corymbosioides

Sulfur buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum var. munzii Snakeweed Gutierrizia sarothre Purple mat Nemophila rothrockii Grinnell’s penstemon Penstemon grinellii Blazing star Mentzelia laevicaulis


L. Potted Nursery Stock (Phase II Revegetation): After shrub and perennial grasses are established (about five years following seeding), revegetation sites will be planted with characteristic "climax" species. Pinyon pines will be planted at all revegetation sites at densities to be determined by slope aspect and elevation. Canyon live oaks will be planted at north‐facing sites. Potted nursery stock will be planted at well above the minimum density required to meet project success criteria to allow for mortality during their establishment. Salvaged yuccas and cacti will be introduced to revegetation sites during or before Phase 2 revegetation. Pending results of test plots, woodland revegetation sites will be planted with at least 100 trees (pinyon pine and canyon live oak) per acre to ensure high enough survival to meet success criteria. These planting densities may be raised or lowered as indicated by results at test plots. M. Site Maintenance: Depending on the results and recommendations of annual monitoring, MCC will contract for additional seeding, planting, irrigation, erosion control, or weed control. Specific maintenance schedule or techniques will be recommended in monitoring reports. MAINTENANCE, MONITORING AND REMEDIAL WORK Monitoring is intended to (1) verify correct implementation of the revegetation plan, (2) evaluate degree of success, in terms of specified objectives, and (3) determine whether maintenance or remediation are needed. During the monitoring period, trends in native herb and shrub cover and diversity will be more important than whether the site matches the composition and structure of undisturbed stands. At the end of monitoring, each revegetated site should have enough well‐established young trees and shrubs to eventually develop similar cover, density, and diversity to baseline data. To verify correct methods and extent of revegetation work, a biologist will periodically review soil salvage and (as needed) storage; preparation and treatment at test plots, and site preparation and seeding upon completion of each revegetation area (closed areas revegetated while other portions of the quarry are still in operation, and the remainder of the site upon final closure). The biologist will prepare annual revegetation reports for the operator’s files documenting revegetation efforts and making recommendations as needed. MCC will be responsible for making annual reports available as needed to San Bernardino County and the San Bernardino National Forest. Required annual revegetation and monitoring report contents are listed below: Data collection: Beginning 1 year after initial seeding at any site (test plots, pre‐closure revegetation areas, and final closure), and continuing annually as needed, a series of quadrats will be evaluated to estimate cover and density of each species occurring within the revegetated areas. Quadrats will be located haphazardly, though not necessarily randomly in the strict sense, throughout reseeded areas.


At each quadrat, all plants within a 1 m2 area will be censused by species. A minimum of 10 quadrats will be censused, and additional ones will be censused if needed to provide confidence in the average values. In the final year of monitoring each revegetated area, data will be collected at a series of 0.1 acre circular plots to provide cover data comparable with the baseline data (Neel 2000). These final data will be used to evaluate revegetation success in terms of the success criteria (above). Enough plots will be sampled so that mean native species richness and native shrub cover values can be calculated with 80% confidence that sample means are within 20% of actual means, per SMARA requirements, calculated by methods recommended in Bonham (1989) or similar vegetation ecology or statistics textbook. Final monitoring (generally at year 10, but may be earlier or later at MCC’s discretion) at each site will provide data to support a clear statement that revegetation either does or does not meet the success criteria (above). Weeding, maintenance, replanting: We anticipate that invasive weedy species will be common and probably dominant during the first few years after revegetation, and some chronic level of infestation will be permanent. Russian thistle (Salsola tragus), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and some other species are typically abundant on disturbed sites in the northern San Bernardino Mountains during initial stages of revegetation. Their cover and abundance typically decline within a few years, unless further germination is induced by further soil disturbance. No control measures for these weeds will be recommended unless they retain high cover and abundance and appear to interfere with native plant establishment after three years of monitoring. These species are common in undisturbed native vegetation and control is difficult, except by meticulous weeding or by measures that would destroy native species (e.g., herbicides or discing; Brooks 2000). If Russian thistle or weedy grasses dominate the site three years after seeding, then the biological monitor may conclude that revegetation has failed, and may recommend cultivation or herbicide treatment to eliminate weeds, followed by reseeding with native species. If reseeding is implemented, then a new revegetation monitoring period will begin the first year after reseeding. Forest Service designated invasive pants, including salt‐cedar (or tamarisk, Tamarix ramosissima and others) will be eradicated any time they are seen on the site. Small plants will be pulled or dug out by hand. Larger infestations or plants with rootstocks too large for hand digging will be eradicated using chemical methods described by Lovich (2000). It is unlikely that low areas within the closed quarry will hold runoff long enough to support salt‐cedar stands, but if such stands develop, then the monitor will recommend measures to seed or plant native phreatophytic species to compete with salt‐cedar. Based on growth and survival, the monitor may also recommend replanting nursery stock to ensure that the site achieves success criteria for densities of characteristic climax plants. Based on survival of salvaged Yucca and cactus species, the monitor may recommend transferring salvaged plants salvaged from off‐site locations (e.g., highway projects) to the MCC reclamation sites.


REPORTING The monitor will provide annual reports describing revegetation progress and making recommendations as needed or appropriate for reseeding, maintenance, or other remedial action. In addition to quantitative data, the monitoring report will include representative site photos and will note any other pertinent concerns (e.g., erosion, vehicle trespass, etc.). The operator will notify San Bernardino County and the San Bernardino National Forest when annual reports are available, and will provide copies of annual reports upon successfully completing revegetation at any site and applying for proportional bond release. A list of recommended annual report contents is attached.


LITERATURE CITED Aronson, J, C. Floret, E. LeFloc’h, C. Ovalle, and R. Pontainer. 1993. Restoration and rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems in arid and semiarid regions. I. A view from the south. Restoration Ecology 1:8‐17. Aspen Environmental Group. 2010. Proposed South Quarry: Biological Technical Report. Unpublished report prepared for Mitsubishi Cement Corp. and submitted to the County of San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California. Bainbridge, D.A. 2007. A Guide for Desert and Dryland Restoration. Society for Ecological Restoration and Island Press, Washington DC. Bonham, C.D. 1989. Measurements for Terrestrial Vegetation. John Wiley and Sons, New York. Emery, D.E. 1988. Seed propagation of native California plants. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. Evans, R.A. and R.M. Love. 1957. The step‐point method of sampling: a practical tool in range research. Journal of Range Management 14:208‐212. Glenn Lukos Associates. 2010. Jurisdictional Delineation Report for the South Quarry Expansion Project, an Approximate 572‐Acre Study Area Located in Lucerne Valley, San Bernardino County, California. Unpublished letter report prepared for Mitsubishi Cement Corp., Lucerne Valley, California. Lovich, J. 2000. Tamarix ramossisima, T. chinensis, T. gallica, T. parviflora. Pages 312‐317 in C.C. Bossard, J.M. Randall, and M.C. Hoshovsky (eds.) Invasive Plants of California’s Wildlands. University of California Press, Berkeley, California. Meeuwig, , R.O., J.D. Budy, and R.L. Everett. 1990. Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frem., singleleaf pinyon. Pages 380‐384 in R.M. Burns and B.H. Honkala (tech. coordinators), Silvics of North America Vol. 1, Conifers. Agriculture Handbook 654. USDA Forest Service, Washington DC. Minnich, R.A. 1976. Vegetation of the San Bernardino Mountains. Pages 99‐124 in J. Latting (ed.), Plant Communities of Southern California. Special Publication No. 2, California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, California. Minnich, R.A. 1986. Snow levels and amounts in the mountains of southern California. Jour. of Hydrology 89:37‐58. Muller, C.H. 1953. The association of desert annuals with shrubs. American Journal of Botany 40:53‐60.


Neel, M.C. 2000. The Structure of Diversity: Implications for Reserve Design. Unpublished PhD Dissertation, Dept. of Botany, University of California, Riverside. Newton, G.A. and V.P. Claassen. 2003. Rehabilitation of Disturbed Lands in California: A Manual for Decision‐Making. Special Publication no. 123, California Dept. of Conservation, California Geological Survey, Sacramento, California. Olson, T.G. 2003. Carbonate Habitat Management Strategy. Unpublished report prepared for San Bernardino National Forest Association, San Bernardino California. Plumb, T.R. 1980. Response of oaks to fire. Pages 202‐215 in T.R. Plumb, Tech. coord., Proceedings: Symposium on the Ecology, Management, and Utilization of California Oaks. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report PSW‐49. Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Berkeley, California. Prose, D.V., S.K. Metzger, and H.G. Wilshire. 1987. Effects of substrate disturbance on secondary plant succession; Mojave Desert, California. Journal of Applied Ecology 24:305‐313. Sawyer, J.O. and T. Keeler‐Wolf. 1995. Manual of California Vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. Schopmeyer, C.S. (technical coordinator). 1974. Seeds of Woody Plants of the United States. Agricultural Handbook 450, USDA Forest Service, Washington DC. Thornburgh, D.A. 1990. Quercus chrysolepis Liebm., canyon live oak. Pages 618‐624 in R.M. Burns and B.H. Honkala (tech. coordinators), Silvics of North America Vol. 2, Hardwoods. Agriculture Handbook 654. USDA Forest Service, Washington DC. USDI Fish and Wildlife Service. 2002 (24 Dec). Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Five Carbonate Plants from the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California. Federal Register 67:78570‐78610. Walker, L.R. and R. del Moral. 2003. Primary Succession and Ecosystem Rehabilitation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Wangler, M.J. and R.A. Minnich. 1996. Fire and succession in pinyon‐juniper woodlands of the San Bernardino Mountains, California. Madrono 43:493‐514.


ATTACHMENT 1: Recommended Annual Revegetation Report Contents I. Mining progress A. List and map all quarry, waste dump, road, or other mining footprint expansions since previous annual report. B. List and map all quarry, waste dump, road, or other site where mining disturbance completed since previous annual report. II. Test plots, soil samples, other data collection: Summary of progress & results since previous annual report. III. List and acreage tally of mining‐disturbed sites to be revegetated (slope hydroseeding, Phase 1 seeding, Phase 2 planting) in the coming 5 years. IV. Plant materials inventory: accounting of seed or nursery stock acquired or used since previous report; accounting of seed and nursery stock needed for coming 5 year period (suggested spreadsheet format attached). A. Seeds ‐ include species, storage site, responsible party, collection location & date; additional data (viability, etc.) B. Nursery stock ‐ same. V. Soil inventory A. Summarize soil salvaged / transported since previous report; stockpiles (list all w/ locations, erosion & weed control measures, date) and location of planned disposition. B. Substitute soil (crusher fines / mulch mix) available and needed for upcoming reclamation work. IV. Reclamation / revegetation progress: List and map all reclamation or revegetation activity since previous annual report. V. Monitoring results: Summarize annual monitoring and completion monitoring for all sites; attach data tables. VI. Recommendations A. Reseeding, replanting, maintenance (irrigation, erosion control, etc.) or other remedial measures B. Recommend proportional bond release for any acreage where revegetation complete and successful.


ATTACHMENT 2: Suggested Seed / Nursery Stock Inventory Format

Species On hand

On order

Quantity needed for upcoming years Narrative info. Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Seed Desert needlegrass (Stipa speciosa) / seed ‐ pounds PLS

_ lb. _ lb. _ lb. _ lb. _ lb. _ lb. _ lb. On hand: describe source, collection date, purity, storage location, etc. On order: describe contract delivery date, purity, etc.

Nursery stock Pinyon pine (Pinus monophylla) / potted ‐ 1‐gal.

_ pots _ pots _ pots _ pots _ pots _ pots _ pots On hand: On order:

mitsubishi cement corporation: south quarry...

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