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4.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS <br /> The specified Reclamation Areas were quantitatively sampled in 2019 to evaluate whether <br /> they would qualify for CDRMS Phase III bond release during the first year of the two year <br /> evaluation period. <br /> 4.1 TOTAL VEGETATION COVER <br /> Mean total vegetation cover (63.43%) of the reclamation areas exceeded the final <br /> revegetation success criterion for vegetation cover (53.04%). Of the thirty-seven species <br /> encountered in cover sampling,thirty-three were perennial or biennial species, accounting for <br /> 89.2 percent of all species encountered. Perennial and biennial species provided 98.6 percent <br /> of all total relative cover(60.71% graminoids, 32.90% forbs, and 4.96% shrubs). Of the total <br /> vegetation cover, native species contributed 81.1 percent of the relative cover (55.10% <br /> graminoids, 21.03% forbs, and 4.96% shrubs). These results indicate the establishment of a <br /> predominantly perennial, native vegetation community at the reclamation areas, with total <br /> vegetation cover greater than that of the final revegetation success criteria. <br /> 4.2 TOTAL HERBACEOUS PRODUCTION <br /> Sampled total herbaceous production on the 2019 Reclamation Areas this year (217.13g/m2) <br /> exceeded the final revegetation success criterion for total herbaceous production (180.38 <br /> g/m2). <br /> 4.3 SPECIES COMPOSITION <br /> The CDRMS considers species composition of the revegetated and reclaimed areas to be an <br /> indicator of successful vegetation establishment and a diverse vegetation community. The <br /> species composition standard for the West Elk Mine requires that there be at least three <br /> perennial species, of which two are cool season perennial grasses and one is a cool season <br /> perennial forb. No one component of the above three species should comprise greater than <br /> 40% relative importance nor less than 3% relative importance. Relative importance will be <br /> measured by calculating relative cover of the revegetation species. <br /> The Reclamation Areas exceeded the required number of perennial cool season grass species <br /> with contributions by Agropyron smithii, Bromus marginatus, Agropyron dasystachyum, and <br /> Poa pratensis, accounting for between three and forty percent relative cover. The <br /> Reclamation Areas exceeded the required number of perennial cool season forb species with <br /> representation by Astragalus cicer, Aster glaucodes, Achillea lanulosa, and Penstemon <br /> linarioides accounting for between three and forty percent relative cover. The perennial <br /> native shrub Artemisia tridentate also contributed to the species composition of the reclaimed <br /> areas. <br /> No pests or diseases were found within the reclaimed areas, nor were there annual or weedy <br /> species that would negatively impact the longevity of the reclaimed vegetation community. <br /> Mountain Coal Company,LLC West Elk Mine Page 11 <br /> 2019 Vegetation Report:West Bench,Sylvester Gulch,Shaft Canyon Road,and Saddle Road Reclamation Areas <br />