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Rio Tinto Energy America <br />Colowyo Coal Company, L.P. <br />Colowyo Mine <br />2006 REVEGETATION MONITORING REPORT <br />REVEGETATION UNIfS: <br />REFERENCE AREAS: <br />EP034 <br />EP035 <br />EP037 <br />EP042 <br />EP043 <br />EP046 <br />WP007 516016 FA002 <br />516017 FA003 <br />MOUNTAIN SHRUB <br />SAGEBRUSH <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />Cedar Creek Associates, Inc. (Cedar Creek) was contracted in 2006 by Colowyo Coal Company <br />(Colowyo) to implement a vegetation monitoring program within selected revegetated units at the <br />Colowyo Mine. Monitoring was performed in the interest of ascertaining progress toward revegetation <br />success in general accordance with Rule 3.03, Release of Performance Bonds. The revegetated areas <br />evaluated in 2006 consisted of 11 total units ranging in size from 1.5 acres to 106.6 acres. At the time of <br />sampling, revegetation within evaluated units had experienced one, four or seven growing seasons <br />following completion of seeding. (No revegetation took place in 2004, therefore, there were no areas 2 <br />years of age requiring monitoring.} In addition, two reference areas (Mountain Shrub - 1980 and <br />Sagebrush - 1981) were sampled to provide cover and production comparison values to facilitate an <br />evaluation of success for the reclaimed units. Mountain Shrub reference area data are weighted 55% <br />whereas the Sagebrush reference area data are weighted 45% for this comparison on existing operations <br />at Colowyo. The location of each unit and reference areas evaluated in 2006 is indicated on Map 1 and <br />the sample points within each area are provided on maps for each unit in Section 2.0. <br />Field sampling for the directly measurable variables of ground cover, current annual production <br />(selected units), woody plant density, and seedling density (1 unit) was systematically conducted within <br />all designated units from August 13 through August 19, 2006. The growing season prior to and during <br />the sampling period could be qualitatively characterized as slightly below average with regard to <br />Rio Tinfo Energy America I Colowyo Mine Page 1 RBVeg0fatloR MOnitOring - 2006 <br />