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The Division also evaluates the species relative cover data to determine whether the vegetation exhibits seasonality and species composition supportive of the approved post-mining land use (CDMG Guideline Regarding Selected Coal Mine Bond Release Issues, April 18, 1995). "Che diversity standazd for the Keenesburg Strip Mine as stated on page 116b of the permit application states that the reclaimed community will have "at least seven perennial species of which four aze warm season grasses and one is a forb. No one component of the above species shall comprise greater than 40% relative importance nor less than 3% relative importance." The 1995 reclaimed areas (Areas 1, 8, 24, 26, 27, and 28) exhibit twelve species with relatnve cover greater than 3%. No single species contributes greater than 40% relative cover. Five of the species aze warn season grasses and one is a forb. The 1995 azeas achieve the species diversity standard based upon the 2004 cover data. Three areas (Areas 3, 18, and 21) comprise the 1997 reclaimed azeas in this bond release application. The 2004 cover data finds these azeas contribute six species with greater than 3% relative cover with an additional 14 species present in relative importance less than 3%. No single species exceeds 40% relative importance. Only one of the warm season grasses exceeded 3%, though three additional warm season grass species were present at greater than 1 % each. At least one forb species was present at greater than 3% relative cover and no one species greater than 40%. The 1997 reclaimed vegetation community is approaching the diversity standazd. The only pazcel in this bond release application that was seeded in 1999 is Area 14. The 2(104 cover data shows that areas reclaimed in 1999 had eleven species with greater than 3% cover, had four waan season grass species present at greater than 3% relative cover, and had five forb species present at greater than 3% relative cover. No one species comprised greater than 40% relative cover. None of the species considered in the species diversity determination aze considered noxious weeds. Based upon the 2004 vegetation sampling data, the 1999 reclaimed azeas achieve the species diversity standard. No woody species are required for bond release. Coors Energy Company has a noxious weed management plan and actively implements it. Only one noxious weed species, Cheatgrass, was measured in the 2004 vegetation sampling. Cheatgrass, or Bromus tectorum, is a problem species throughout the western United States, though its presence in the reclaimed azea is minimal. Coors Energy Company actively uses fire management to control Cheatgrass in the reclaimed azeas. Bromus tectorum is considered a noxious weed according to the Colorado Noxious Weed Act, but is not considered mandatory for control. Weld County weed control district does not list Cheatgrass as a species requiring mandatory control. Coors Energy Company weed management efforts are acceptable as demonstrated by the low proportion of noxious species present in the reclaimed areas. Suspended Solids The operator provided a sedimentology demonstration using USLE calculations to compare the current soil loss from the reclaimed azeas to the soil loss from the same azeas prior to being disturbed. The USLE demonstration indicates that the lands to which this bond release C-1981-028, SL3 6 4/18/2006