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4.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS <br /> The 2022 Reclamation Areas were quantitatively sampled in 2022 to evaluate whether they <br /> would qualify for CDRMS Phase III bond release during the second year of the two year <br /> evaluation period. <br /> 4.1 TOTAL VEGETATION COVER <br /> Mean total vegetation cover (67.47%) of the reclamation areas exceeded the final <br /> revegetation success criterion for vegetation cover (53.04%). Of the forty species <br /> encountered in cover sampling, thirty-four were perennial or biennial species, accounting for <br /> 85.0 percent of all species encountered. Perennial and biennial species provided 97.24 <br /> percent of all total relative cover (74.51% graminoids, 18.18% forbs, and 4.55% shrubs). Of <br /> the total vegetation cover, native species contributed 93.47 percent of the relative cover <br /> (73.72% graminoids, 15.20% forbs, and 4.55% shrubs). These results indicate the <br /> establishment of a predominantly perennial, native vegetation community at the reclamation <br /> areas,with total vegetation cover greater than that of the final revegetation success criteria. <br /> 4.2 TOTAL HERBACEOUS PRODUCTION <br /> Sampled total herbaceous production on the 2022 Reclamation Areas this year (227.67 g/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, Festuca arizonica,Bromus marginatus, Agropyron <br /> trachycaulum, and Agropyron dasystachyum accounting for between three and forty percent <br /> relative cover. The reclamation areas met the required number of perennial cool season forb <br /> species with representation by Aster glaucodes. <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 /> 2022 Vegetation Report:West Bench,Sylvester Gulch,Shaft Canyon Road,and Saddle Road Reclamation Areas <br />