2015-10-15_REVISION - C1981046 (6)

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While Sunlight Mine was an active, then non -producing, mine, it was inspected monthly according to Rule 5.02.2. In August 2003, after the reclamation work had been accomplished, the inspection frequency was reduced to a quarterly basis as allowed by Rule 5.02.2(8). Public Notice and Public Comments Beginning October 10, 2014, the Division published notice of the initiation of the termination of jurisdiction process in the Glenwood Springs Post Independent once weekly for four consecutive weeks. The Division also sent letters directly to the following entities about its intent to terminate jurisdiction: Garfield County Commissioners, Garfield County Community Development, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement (OSM), Garfield County Clerk and Recorder, Dunstan Family II, LLC and VHS Limited Partnership, LLLP. The Division did not receive comments. Letters were sent on May 1, 2015 to The Dunstan Family II, LLC, VHS Limited Partnership, LLLP and OSM, inviting them to attend the final site inspection. The final inspection was conducted on June 8, 2015. In attendance at the inspection, in addition to DRMS staff, were Christine Belka of OSM and John Shoup, landowner representative for both landowners. No comments were received from the landowners or the general public. Completion of Minimum Liability Period The last major reclamation and seeding was done in 1999; therefore, the 10 -year liability period has expired. Revegetation Success Division staff sampled the vegetation of the reclaimed areas in 2013 and 2014. The sampling plan included the upper portal area, the scale area and the lower portal area. The vegetation sampling data is included at the end of this document. Cover and production data were taken in all areas of the minesite. Random points were generated in ArcMap as starting points for transects. From these points, a 10 meter transect was laid in the direction of the next random point. A laser point frame was positioned perpendicular to the transect at every meter. Ten cover points were then recorded at every meter for a total of 100 points per transect. The biomass was clipped in 1/2 square meter quadrats at 2 and 7 meters along each transect. The total vegetation cover for 2013 was 37.0%, consisting of 32.2% desirable species and 4.8% noxious species. Perennial cool season grasses were the most abundant species and provided 17.1% cover (smooth brome (6.7%), western wheatgrass (5.3%), sheep fescue (3.0%) and basin wildrye (2.1%)). Two forb species, trailing fleabane and Lewis' flax, contributed 1.5% cover. Two shrub species, rabbitbrush and snowberry, contributed 1.7% cover. The average production was 94.61 grams/meter or 844 pounds/acre. rol