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3.0 RESULTS 3.1 QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION: RECLAIMED AREAS The 2019 Reclamation Areas sampled contain 9.25 acres with 26 distinct drill hole and road segment features located on the West Bench, within Sylvester Gulch, beside the Shaft Canyon Road, and along the Saddle Road within the West Elk Mine permit area. The reclaimed sites range from 0.1 to 1.6 acres in size and ranged in age from 11 to 15 years. The location, size, and age of the reclaimed sites are presented above in the West Elk Mine Phase III (Ist Year) Eligible Areas: 2019 table. Specific vegetation information for the reclamation area is contained in Tables 1, 2, and 3. 3.1.1 Total Vegetation Cover Total mean vegetation cover of the reclaimed areas was 63.43 percent. Graminoids provided 40.48 percent mean vegetation cover (60.84% relative cover), forbs accounted for 20.38 percent mean vegetation cover (34.20% relative cover), and four woody species contributed 2.57 percent mean vegetation cover(4.96 percent relative cover). The most frequently encountered species was Agropyron smithii (western wheatgrass), present in 86 percent of the 21 transects sampled for vegetation cover. Bromus marginatus (mountain brome) was encountered in 81 percent of all transects. Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass) was present in 62 percent of transects, and Agropyron dasystachyum (thickspike wheatgrass) was encountered in 57 percent of all transects. All other species were encountered in fewer than fifty percent of the vegetation cover transects. Within the reclaimed areas, the perennial cool season native grass Agropyron smithii was the dominant species, contributing 15.43 percent total mean vegetation cover, and 23.50 percent relative vegetation cover. Bromus marginatus contributed the second highest vegetation cover, with 12.57 percent total mean vegetation cover and 18.67 percent relative cover. Agropyron dasystachyum provided 8.29 percent mean vegetation cover and 12.27 percent relative vegetation cover. Remaining significant species (contributing three or more percent relative cover) included a mix of a graminoid, forbs, and a shrub; including one additional cool season grass, four cool season forbs, and a perennial shrub. Astragalus cicer (cicer milkvetch)provided 5.05 percent total mean vegetation cover (10.05 percent relative cover), Poa pratensis contributing 3.71 percent total vegetation cover (5.61% relative cover), Artemisia tridentate (big sagebrush) providing 2.19 percent mean total vegetation cover (4.44% relative cover), Aster glaucodes (aster) accounting for 2.38 percent total cover(3.79 percent relative cover),Achillea lanulosa (yarrow) contributing 2.10 percent total mean vegetation cover (3.39 percent relative cover), and Penstemon linarioides (prostrate penstemon) providing 1.90 percent total mean vegetation cover and 3.26 percent relative vegetation cover. Vegetative litter (prior year's growth, dead wood, and other biologic organic material) comprised 24.48 percent ground cover overall within the reclamation areas. Bare soil comprised 10.48 percent of the ground cover. Rock accounted for 1.62 percent of the ground cover sampled. Cryptogams were not encountered during this year's sampling. Mountain Coal Company,LLC West Elk Mine Page 7 2019 Vegetation Report:West Bench,Sylvester Gulch,Shaft Canyon Road,and Saddle Road Reclamation Areas