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I. Introduction <br />This report has been prepared in support of an application for release of liability for the 40-acre mined <br />area west of Rouse Road within the permit area of the New Pryor Strip Mine, Colorado Division of <br />Minerals and Geology Permit No. C-1981-031. The New Pryor Mine had been operated by American <br />Fuels, Inc. On February 26, 1986, the Mined Land Reclamation Board revoked American Fuels permit <br />to mine coal and forfeited a reclamation bond in the amount of $58,073.00. DMG hired a third party <br />contractor to conduct reclamation at the site in 1991. Reclamation was completed in 1992 on all azeas <br />except the sediment ponds. This document provides data collected during the summer of 2003 by the <br />Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology. <br />The Division of Minerals and Geology collected vegetation data on the New Pryor Mine on June 25, <br />2003, in support of an application for release of CDMG jurisdiction for revoked permit C-1981-031. <br />The New Pryor is located in Huerfano County. The azea had been mined historically with the <br />underground Rouse Mine and the Old Pryor surface mine located in the immediate vicinity. The New <br />Pryor Mine was a surface coal mine that was permitted under the CDMG permanent program in 1982, <br />commenced operations in 1982, and underwent surety revocation in 1986. Reclamation was initiated in <br />1991 by the Division of Minerals and Geology Inactive Mines Program. Reclaznation of the site, <br />excluding the sediment ponds was completed by the in 1992. The permit azea encompasses 40 acres. <br />Only 26.0 acres were disturbed by the mining operation. Twenty-two (22.0) acres were reclaimed and <br />seeded in 1991 and 1992. Sediment ponds have not been reclaimed and will remain. The sediment <br />pond azea accounts for the remaining 4.0 acres of disturbance. All of the reclaimed 22 acres were <br />included in the vegetation sampling protocol. Vegetation sampling was conducted in accordance with <br />Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Boazd Surface Coal Mining Rules 2.04.10 and 4.15, and current <br />botanical and ecological methods. <br />II. Methods <br />Timing <br />Field sampling was conducted on June 25, 2003 by CDMG personnel Vegetative data collected <br />included live vegetative cover, herbaceous production and woody stem density data. Timing of the <br />sampling was scheduled to coincide with active biomass production and vegetation identification of both <br />warm season and cool season species. Limited domestic grazing had occurred on the reclaimed area <br />during the 2003 growing season prior to sampling. The Division does not have communication with the <br />landowner or lessees for control of grazing. Post-mining land use is rangeland. <br />Sampling Design <br />Prior to data collection in on the reclaimed mine site, the permit document, permit revisions, prior <br />sampling data, and applicable maps were reviewed to evaluate topography, sampling parcels, <br />revegetation methods and timing. <br />