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iii iiiiiiiiiiiu iii <br />o~CEIVED <br />September 28, 1995 <br />Ms. Janet Binns <br />Reclamation Specialist <br />Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology <br />215 Centennial Building <br />1313 Sherman Street <br />Denver, CO 80203-2273 <br />OCT 0 2 1995 <br />Division of Minerals 8 Uecl,.c ; <br />RE: Report on (Grazing Plan for Minor Revision 06 -Colorado Coal Mine #1 (Permit <br />No. C-81-024) <br />Dear Ms. Binns: <br />Kaiser Resources, Inc. implemented a cattle grazing program at the Colorado Coal Mine #1 <br />during the late spring/early summer of 1995 to assist in the development of warm season <br />grasses on the reclaimed area. We feel that this tool will help achieve the Phase II and III <br />diversity standard for the site revegetation criteria. This submittal is required as a result of <br />approval of Minor Revision 06. <br />Grazing occurred from May 20 to July 15 to utilize the dominant cool season grasses which <br />exist on the site. A total of 30 cow/calf pairs were used over this period. Due to the cool, <br />wet spring, vegetation developed later than normal. Cattle were able to put pressure on the <br />cool season grasses while they were immature. These species were suppressed during the <br />critical part of the 1995 growing season. The cattle were removed from the site just as the <br />warm season grasses began to green-up and develop. They, unlike the cool season grasses, <br />were ungrazed and unsuppressed during their growing period. <br />A qualitative vegetation survey was conducted on September 14, 1995 to assess the effects <br />of grazing and the presence of warm season grasses. Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) and <br />sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) were the dominant warm season grasses noted <br />during the site visit on the reclaimed areas. Several ring muhly (Muhlengereia torre~+i) <br />plants, which is also a warm season grass, were also observed. The warm season grasses are <br />concentrated along the reconstructed Swale which across the reclaimed pit area and are <br />scattered lightly throughout the remainder of the reclaimed area. The 1995 and 1996 <br />grazing program should enhance the development of warm season grasses on the CCMC <br />site. <br />5990 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. Suite 250 Englewood, CO 80111 <br />(303)850-0930 Fax(303)721-9298 <br />