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GOLDER <br /> TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM <br /> DATE October 2, 2020 Project No. 20148940 <br /> TO Justin Bilyeu <br /> Shale Tech International Services, LLC <br /> CC <br /> FROM Mike Bellitto, Golder Associates Inc. EMAIL mbellitto@golder.com <br /> BOTANY SURVEY OF PROPOSED DRILL PADS, RIO BLANCO COUNTY, COLORADO <br /> 1.0 INTRODUCTION <br /> Golder Associates Inc. (Golder) has prepared this technical memorandum (TM) to document the results of a <br /> botany survey of two proposed drill pad locations in Rio Blanco County, Colorado. Figure 1 presents the proposed <br /> drill pad locations. Golder performed the survey to collect information required for a Notice of Intent to Conduct <br /> Prospecting Operations (NOI) to be submitted to Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS). <br /> The purpose of the survey was to: <br /> 1) Provide a description of the native vegetation of the area to be disturbed, including tree, shrub, and grass <br /> communities of the area <br /> 2) Describe the estimated topsoil depth <br /> 2.0 SURVEY RESULTS <br /> Golder performed the survey on September 24, 2020. Mike Bellitto, a senior restoration ecologist, visited both <br /> sites accompanied by Justin Bilyeau (Shale Tech). <br /> Both proposed drill pads are located on relatively level terrain on ridgelines at approximately 8,380 feet above <br /> mean sea level (ft AMSL) (Core 2020-03/04) and 8,560 ft AMSL (Core 2020-01/02). The local vegetation <br /> community is described under the United States Geological Survey (USGS) GAP system (NatureServe 2020) as <br /> Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-foothill Shrubland. <br /> 2.1 Core 2020-01102 <br /> Vegetation on this site is dominated by a sparse to moderately dense tall shrub layer(10% to 60% cover). The <br /> dominant shrub is the cold-deciduous shrub Amelanchier alnifolia (Saskatoon serviceberry). Symphoricarpos <br /> oreophilus(roundleaf snowberry) often dominates in the short-shrub layer. Other shrub associates include low <br /> cover of Artemisia tridentate var. vaseyana (mountain big sagebrush), Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus(green <br /> rabbitbrush), and Rosa woodsii(Wood's rose). The sparse to moderate herbaceous layer is dominated by Carex <br /> geyeri(elk sedge)with smaller components of Stipa viridula (green needlegrass), Pascopyron smithii(western <br /> wheatgrass) and Achnatherum hymenoides(Indian ricegrass). Due to the fall survey date, most forbs had <br /> senesced and could not be identified to species. Several were identified to genus, including milkvetch <br /> Golder Associates Inc. <br /> 7245 W Alaska Drive,Suite 200, Lakewood,Colorado,USA 80226 T:+1 303 980-0540 F:+1 303 985-2080 <br /> Golder and the G logo are trademarks of Golder Associates Corporation golder.com <br />