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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> Quantitative vegetation sampling of the Mountain shrub extended reference area and reclaimed <br /> and revegetated sites within the Oxbow Mining LLC (Oxbow) Elk Creek Mine eligible for <br /> Phase III bond release (Year 2) was conducted during June 2021. Vegetation cover by plant <br /> species, total herbaceous production, and species composition data were collected. <br /> Comparisons were made between total vegetation cover and total herbaceous production from <br /> the reclaimed areas with the applicable values from the extended reference area. Species <br /> composition results from the reclaimed areas were compared with the species composition <br /> revegetation success criterion from the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br /> (CDRMS)permit document(C-1981-022). <br /> The 2021 mean total vegetation cover in the reclaimed areas (59.33%) exceeded live <br /> herbaceous vegetation cover standard within the Mountain shrub extended reference area <br /> (11.74%, the sum of graminoid and forb mean cover). The reclaimed areas total herbaceous <br /> production of 167.32 g/m2 exceeded the final revegetation total herbaceous production success <br /> criterion (64.91 g/m2) from the Mountain shrub extended reference area. Relative cover data <br /> from the reclaimed areas sampled showed that the reclaimed areas exceeded the species <br /> composition final success criterion (a minimum of three perennial or biennial non-noxious <br /> species, with two being graminoid and one being a perennial or biennial forb or shrub) with <br /> five perennial cool season graminoids, five perennial cool season forbs, and one perennial <br /> shrub. <br /> Based on the results of the 2021 quantitative vegetation sampling at the reclaimed areas, it <br /> was concluded that the Phase III bond release and revegetation requirements of CDRMS Rules <br /> 3.03, 4.15.7, and 4.15.8 have been satisfied for total vegetation cover, total herbaceous <br /> production, and species composition for the second year of the required two-year sampling <br /> period. Additionally,the sampling results demonstrate the establishment of a diverse,effective <br /> and permanent vegetation community of the same seasonal variety native to the land disturbed. <br /> Oxbow Mining,LLC Elk Creek Mine Page 1 <br /> 2021 Phase III Bond Release(Year 2):Vegetation Report <br />