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1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />This report presents the results of the 2019 first year quantitative vegetation sampling in <br />support of a request for final Phase III bond release for eligible reclaimed areas within the <br />Oxbow Elk Creek Mine (CDRMS permit C-1981-022) owned and operated by Oxbow. <br />Quantitative vegetative sampling is required by CDRMS whenever a permittee requests a <br />release from liability and/or reclamation bond in Phase III of the bond release process. <br />Vegetation sampling was performed in compliance with the Regulations of the Colorado <br />Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining Rules 2.04.10 and 4.15 at the time of <br />sampling, the requirements of Exhibit 2.05-E6 of the approved reclamation plan, and current <br />botanical and plant ecological methods. Field sampling for the areas monitored was conducted <br />between June 13 and July 2, 2019 by Savage and Savage, Inc. biologists. <br />The Elk Creek Mine site is located in Gunnison and Delta Counties, Colorado, east and west <br />of Somerset, Colorado and north of the North Fork of the Gunnison River and Colorado <br />Highway 133. The underground coal mine began operation in 1901 and entered final <br />reclamation in 2014. The reclaimed areas sampled in this report are located in Delta and <br />Gunnison Counties, Colorado; within portions of Sections 27-34, T12S, R90 W, 6th PM, parts <br />of Sections 25-27 and 34-36, T12S, R91W, parts of Sections 6 and 7, T13S, R89W, parts of <br />Sections 1-12 and 17, T13S, R90W, and parts of Sections 1-3 and 11-13, T3S, R91 W, all of <br />the 6th Prime Meridian. <br />Reclaimed areas sampled in 2019 were backfilled, graded, topsoiled, and revegetated in <br />accordance with the approved mining and reclamation plan. The reclaimed areas sampled this <br />year were formerly drill sites and access roads constructed for coal exploration and mine <br />ventilation, and mine surface facilities, and are located in five general areas of the mine site; <br />A Gulch, Upper Bear Creek (west side), Upper Bear Creek (east side), and Lower Bear Creek <br />(see Appendix for site list and map). Reclamation activities took place between 2003 and 2010 <br />for the areas sampled this year, and included plugging of drill holes, backfilling and regrading <br />facilities, drill sites and roads, replacing topsoil where applicable, reseeding and mulching, and <br />installing erosion control materials. <br />The revegetation standards used to evaluate these areas are those currently in effect under the <br />Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act (CRS 34-33-101 et seq) and the Elk Creek <br />Mining and Reclamation Permit (C-1981-022), found in Exhibit 2.05-E6. <br />Oxbow Mining, LLC Elk Creek Mine Page 2 <br />2019 Phase III Bond Kelease Po5t-5MCKA Vegetation Report <br />