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1. Introductit-n This report has been prepared in support of an appltcahon tier release of liability ti>r the 4.1-acre mined area south of County Road 120 +cithin the permit area of the Bloe Flantc h1ine (Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology permit C'-1981-052{. 1'hrs document descnbcs the fomtcr cegctative condition of this area. and depicts data collected during the wnuner of 2002. The 2(1(12 vegetative sampling +vas rcyuircd and pertitrntcd b}' the Dtviswn of Minerals anJ (iarlugy to release liability by dent<mstraun~ that the reclaimed mine area's vegetation has been successfully re-estahltshcct and reclaimed. Vegetation sampling was lterti~mted in compliance wnh Colorado Mined land Reclamation Board Surface Coal Mining Rules 2.04.10 and 4.15 and documented plant ecological methods. The Division of lvlinenls and Geology's Coal Program employees conducted field sampling from July 22"''through July 26'x'. The 131ue Flame Mme is located m La I'l:ua County. C'olor:uio• approximately live milts southwest of Ilcspcrus. Colorado. "fhc 131uc = • ;~ Flame Mine was a xmall ~ underground mine operated by 1.&l. a [=nerey (Lewis & Lobalo). In • ' _ - October 1990, the MLRB forfeited °~~~„~ , ~ ~. their bond in the amount of r• f s!. 541.61)U.W. Third party contractors were hired to reclaim the site in ~ ,:Y°'- ~ :.~ ~ 1993. follow-up weed spaying was _ ~~-''~'" - ; '~`0':- conducted in 1994 and 1995. The rc~L . I~c;n very suc:rsaful. althoueh there arc a few ++eeds. No additional work +ca> Jerntcd ncrusary. The revegetatiun atandanls used to evaluate dtcsc areas are those currently in effect under the Colorado Surface ('ual Mining Reclamation Act (('RS 33-34-101 et seq). 'hhe nt~jority of the area to be disturbed by the proposed surface coal mining opcntions has been prevwush' disturbed (mining activities date back to the 1950'sl ++•uh no topsoil material salvaged or stockpilcJ. Since the permitted areas affected arc Icss than 4.1 acres. including the access roads, a foroicn but acceptable topsoil material +vas acquired and applied. Blue Flame imported from outside sources appruxintatcly 4,x00 cubic yards of topsoil to be used as a plant gro++•th mcdiunt. This allowed Blue Flantc to distribute appro~inrrtcly eight inches of topsoil o+cr the regraded areas. 13ctbrc distnhution, the Topsoil ~+a• .ut;tlcrcd ti,r the rcyuircd p:uumrtrr. :u:~l the rr.uhs .uhmit~ril to ;itr Dn i,wn.