2005-03-04_REPORT - C1981028 - Laserfiche WebLink

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INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: 'I'OS[ ICALUb:N HACFI FROM: JANI?a'HINNS SUBJECT: KEF.NIsSHURG _ 03 NUAL ~CLA~L\'f10N RHPOR'fS DATE: 03/04/05 CC: DAN tIERNANUG'!. Coors Energy Company submitted the 2003 ARR on February 27, 2004. Submittal was two weeks after the February 15`s due date as stated in Rule 2.04.13. The Keenesburg Mine permit, C-1981-028, page 117, has committed to submitting the Annual Reclamation Report by the end of February each year. The submitted report is in compliance with the approved permit. Vegetative success is based on comparison with the approved Osgood Reference area. Cover success is based on total vegetative cover, which includes woody plant cover. Production is based on herbaceous vegetative cover. Species composition is based on relative cover of the individual plant species compared to a composition standard. There is no woody stem density requirement fox the Keenesbuxg Mine reclamation success standard. Coors Energy Company (CEC) monitored vegetation August 18-27, 2003 in compliance with permit requirements. Discussion of the distribution of sample transects and methodology used is found in the 2003 Annual Reclamation Report. In 2003, total cover measured in the Osgood reference area was 55.8%. This is greater than hvo times the recorded cover value of 22.6% that was measured in 2002. In 2002 the entire state of Colorado experienced a drought. The 2003 vegetation cover value of 55.8% shows significant rebound of the vegetative community. CEC measured total vegetative cover in the 1995 Reclaimed area at 39.0°/q 1997 Reclaimed area at 43.6°/q and the 1998 reseeded/intexseeded area at 40.67%. Based on this 2003 data, the sampled reclaimed areas would not meet 90% of the measured reference area cover standard. The data xepxesents the 8`h growing season fox the 1995 Reclaimed area and the 6°i growing season for the 1997 Reclaimed area. All of the monitored reclamation areas show significant rebound in cover values from the 2002 values. One area, Axea 1Q, in the 1998 reseeded block, had been burned in an effort to manage Cheatgxass. Axea 1Q, was not included in the sampling area fox 2003. Herbaceous productivity measured in the Osgood reference area in 2003 was 130.21 grams/MZ (1161 lb/acre). This value xepxesents a 5-fold increase over the herbaceous productivity values measured in 2002. Herbaceous productivity measured on the 1995 Reclaimed, 1997 Reclaimed, and 1998 Reseeded areas was 148.99 grams/MZ (1328 lb/acre), 163.05 grams/MZ (14541b/acre), and 148.51 grams/MZ (13241b/acre) respectively. Productivity values have rebounded from preceding years' value. All three measured reclaimed areas exceed the herbaceous productivity standard based on xefexence area production. 2003 sampling data show that species composition was not met for any of the sampled areas. Not even the Osgood xefexence area would meet the required vegetation diversity standard found in the permit. The diversity standard calls for 7 perennial non-noxious species with greater than 3% relative importance but less than 40% relative importance. Of these 7 species, 4 should be warm season grasses and one shall be a foxb.