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• Even though the grass hydroseed mix is supported with mulch and a tacky guar -gum <br />base, wind and winter snow storms have a very good chance of removing large <br />portions of the seed mix, mulch and tack. <br />• It is not that grass seed cannot be put down in the winter and lie dormant until the <br />spring, but the success rate for seeding at this time of year is much better under ideal <br />conditions (good topsoil and level terrain -able to retain moisture- with the seed and <br />mulch disked into the soil). These are absolutely NOT the conditions on these shale <br />piles. <br />• The grass seed type proposed by the original company for this project is a hardy seed, <br />but also is a sterile seed and will not reproduce after the first year. This is a one -shot <br />deal. It is truly a temporary seed for stabilizing the soil until another seed can be <br />applied for longer - lasting results. It is designed on purpose to only last one year and <br />not re- generate. The seed proposed by another company can be the same type of grass <br />seed but is not sterile and will reproduce so that even if some areas do not take, the <br />grass will continue to spread by seed drop and root growth. The sterile seed is very <br />expensive and was proposed to be applied at too low a rate. The non - sterile seed is <br />less expensive and will be applied at a much higher rate. <br />• Grass seed needs a ground temperature of 55 degrees and moisture to germinate. <br />Why risk this expensive treatment to the rigors of a Colorado winter under the poor <br />conditions of these shale piles for 5 months? We all want the seeding to work for <br />erosion and weed control, so why not give the seed its best chance of survival? These <br />piles could be here for 5 -6 years to come and they need to be stabilized with <br />successful seeding. <br />I would urge you to review this hydroseeding program with someone in your Division who is <br />familiar with revegatation practices and who would surely agree that seeding in the spring -with <br />the conditions being imposed by these shale stockpiles -is the best route to go. We really do not <br />want to put this project off any longer than we already have, we just want it to be successful and <br />doing it in the spring of 2015 makes the most sense. <br />Please contact me if there are any questions or concerns you may have with this letter of <br />explanation as to our progress with the corrective actions. <br />Sincerely, <br />Rob Laird <br />Resource Manager <br />cc: file <br />Dan Hunt <br />Gary Stillmunkes (garys @asphaltspecialties.com) <br />