Laserfiche WebLink
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />Quantitative vegetation sampling of reclamation areas eligible for Phase III bond release at <br />Mountain Coal Company, LLC's (MCC) West Elk Mine was conducted in June 2014. <br />Vegetation cover by plant species, total herbaceous production, and species composition data <br />were collected. Comparisons were made between total vegetation cover means, total <br />herbaceous production means, and species composition results from the sampled reclamation <br />areas and the final revegetation success criteria from the permit document. The mean for <br />total vegetation cover in the reclaimed areas (69.04%) this year exceeded the final <br />revegetation success criterion of 53.04 percent. Total herbaceous production (226.8 g/m2) in <br />the reclaimed areas sampled exceeded the revegetation success criterion of 180.38 g/m2. <br />Based on relative cover data, the reclamation areas exceeded the species composition final <br />success criterion with four perennial cool season graminoids and three perennial cool season <br />forbs. <br />Mountain Coal Company, LLC West Elk Mine Page 1 <br />2014 Vegetation Report: Phase III Bond Release Eligible Areas <br />