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permanent easement consent letter in Appendix 14-5 page A14-5-7of the PAP. Haul Road 5 is a <br />shared road between Public Service Company and Snowcap Coal Company for access to the CRDA- <br />1 refuse pile and Xcel Energy's permanent ash pile. There are landowner consent letters in Appendix <br />14-5 pages A14-5-11 through 15 in the PAP. The North Decline Road (Item #3 on Attachment 2) is <br />identified as Access Rd 2 in the PAP and is a permanent road with approval/consent letters also <br />contained in Appendix 14-5 pages A14-5-11 and 13. The 2 West Portals Access Road (Item #13) on <br />Attachment 2, also identified as Access Road 3 in the PAP, is approved as a permanent road with <br />approval consent letters from three landowners as follows: Powderhorn Properties pages A14-5-11 <br />and 13, Pitkin Iron Corporation pages A14-5-3 and 4, and the BLM pages A14-5-7 and 10. These <br />roads meet the requirements for full Phase I, II, and III bond release with exception of a 0.2 -acre <br />portion of Access Road 2 at the North Decline which is being withheld from Phase III bond release. <br />REVEGETATION <br />All disturbed areas at the Roadside North and South Portals Mine were seeded for revegetation <br />utilizing the approved seed mixes contained in the PAP. Cedar Creek Associates, Inc. was contracted <br />in 2011 and 2012 by SCC to evaluate revegetated units for Phase III bond release. Cedar Creek <br />prepared and submitted the detailed evaluation report 2011 & 2012 Phase III Bond Release Evaluation <br />— Years 1 & 2 to SCC and the DRMS in April, 2013 prior to the bond release inspection. Sampling <br />efforts were conducted in 2011 and 2012 on 16 individual reclamation units ranging in size from less <br />than an acre to 20.2 acres. The report includes evaluation of the Greasewood Comparison <br />Revegetation Areas, the Shadscale Comparison Revegetation Areas and their corresponding reference <br />areas, the Greasewood Reference Area and the Shadscale Reference Area. The revegetated areas <br />evaluated in 2011 and 2012 were separated into two sampling units based on the reference area used <br />for comparison, as per TR -60. Cedar Creek concluded that the data demonstrate the success and <br />utility of the revegetated areas, especially given the levels of vegetative ground cover and favorable <br />results with regards to diversity, herbaceous production, and woody plant density. With regard to the <br />success standards, all bond release areas substantially exceed and pass all seven of the standards and <br />criteria. Photographs 22 and 23 illustrate the success of the revegetation efforts at CRDA-1 and <br />CRDA-2. <br />The approved post -mining land use for the areas contained in the bond release application is wildlife <br />habitat (PAP pg. 14-22). Two different reference areas were used for reclamation success <br />comparison: a greasewood reference area and a shadscale reference area. The reference area used for <br />comparison was determined by the pre -disturbance community present in the area under <br />consideration. The greasewood community tends to be found along drainages and at the lower <br />elevations. The shadscale community is generally found on the steeper slopes and higher elevations. <br />The area at the Roadside Mine and surrounding landscape has experienced a persistent <br />invasion/dominance of Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Snowcap Coal Company (SCC) has worked <br />with the Division, CSU -Tri -River Area Extension Service, Dr. George Beck CSU -Extension Service <br />Cheatgrass expert, and Mesa County weed supervisors for many years. Herbicide treatment and <br />interseeding were conducted on areas identified as problematic in 2005 through 2007 in accordance <br />with extension service recommendations. In spite of repeated efforts, it appeared that the current <br />technology was insufficient to control Cheatgrass in the area. SCC submitted TR60 in January 20, <br />Page 15 <br />