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1.0 INTRODUCTION <br /> This report presents the results of the 2020 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 15 and 28, 2020 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 the permit area that includes portions of Sections 27-34, <br /> T12S, R90 W, 6th PM, parts of Sections 25-27 and 34-36, T12S, R91W, parts of Sections 6 <br /> and 7,T13S,R89W,parts of Sections 1-12 and 17,T13S,R90W, and parts of Sections 1-3 and <br /> 11-13, T3S, R91 W, all of the 6th Prime Meridian. <br /> Reclaimed areas sampled in 2020 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 accompanying access roads constructed for coal exploration <br /> and mine ventilation, and are located in the Upper Bear Creek drainage to the east of, and <br /> above the channel (see Appendix for site list and map). Reclamation activities took place in <br /> 2011 for the areas sampled this year, and included plugging of drill holes, backfilling and <br /> regrading facilities, drill sites and roads, replacing topsoil, 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 /> 2020 Phase III Bond Release(Year 1):Vegetation Report <br />