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STATE OF III IIIIIIIIIIIII III 999 COLORADO DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY Department of Natural Resources 1313 Sherman St., Room 215 Denver, Colorado 80203 D I v 15 1 0 N O F Phone (303) 866-3567 MINERAL S FAX. (303)832-8106 & March 27, 2001 G E O L O G Y R E C L A M A T I O N MINING•SAFETY Mr. Rick Mills Colorado Yampa Coal Company ern ovens 29587 Routt County Road No 27 eOVef"°` Oak Creek CO 80467 Gres a walcner i i , Execm ve D rector 6lichael B. Long Re: Vegetation Sampling for Eckman Park and Mine No. 1, C-81-071 Division Director Dear Mr. Mills: The Division has reviewed CYCC's submittal of "Phase III Bond Release" vegetation sampling data report submitted to the Division on December 14, 2000. This report represents summarization of vegetation data collected on the Eckman Park and Mine No. I during late June through early July 2000. The data represents the first yeaz of sampling for the required two consecutive growing season vegetative data for final bond release (Rule 4.15.7(5). The Division reviewed the data to assure that the required sampling methodologies were followed as described in the approved permit, DMG's "Guideline regarding selected Coal Mine Bond Release Issues" (dated April 18, 1995), and the Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining. CYCC divided the reclaimed area into two (2) blocks. These two blocks, Energy Mine No. 1 and Eckman Park Mine, were reclaimed at different times and with different seed mixes. Energy Mine No. primarily has an East and Northern aspect. Eckman Park Mine generally has a Northwesterly aspect. This is a logical division. The reclaimed azea of Pond K is included in the Energy Mine No. 1 sampling block. A 2.4 acre parcel that was not eligible for final bond release in SL-07 (Area 41), is included in the Eckman Park Mine block at the Division's recommendation. The approved post-mining land use is pastureland. Both cover and production data was collected on the reference area, Energy Mine No.l and the Eckman Park Mine. All data was collected to adequacy using the Snedecor-Cochran adequacy formula approved by DMG in the previously referenced guideline. CYCC reclamation success standards compare the reclaimed areas to a pastureland reference area (Rule 4.15.7(3) and permit page 816-160 rev. 7/10/92). The pasture reference area exhibited 22.8% vegetative cover and 1068 lbs. herbaceous biomass per acre. The reclaimed areas are required to meet or exceed ninety percent of the measured reference area values to be considered successful. Ninety percent ofthe reference area cover equals 20.52% and ninety percent of the reference area herbaceous biomass equals 961.2 Ibs.(acre. Cover measured on the Energy Mine No. 1 area was 34.7%, well in excess of the standard. Herbaceous biomass production measured at the Energy Mine No. 1 block was 1976 lbs./acre, which is over twice the reference area standard. The Eckman Park Mine area block was measured at 38.2% cover and 2327 lbs./acre. Both parameters were well above the reference area standard.