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,~ <br />Quantitative sampling of reclaimed areas at Seneca Coal Company's (SCC) <br />Seneca IIW Mine was undertaken in July 2005 by ESCO Associates to facilitate <br />SCC's continued monitoring of the progress of these areas in relation to <br />revegetation performance standards. Methods, sample areas, and sample sizes <br />were those specified by SCC. <br />Reclamation Units and Sampling Locations <br />The reclamation units sampled at the Seneca IIW Mine in 2005 are shown on <br />Map 1, "2005 Reclaimed Area Monitoring Locations". 1998 and 2003 <br />reclamation areas were sampled in 2005. <br />Extended Reference Area Sampling <br />The Aspen, Mountain Brush, and Sagebrush Extended Reference Areas were <br />sampled to provide data for comparison with reclaimed area data. Reference <br />Area sampling locations are shown on Map 2, "2005 Extended Reference Area <br />Monitoring Locations". <br />Cover Sampling <br />Cover data were collected along 50 m transects using apoint-intercept method in <br />which data were recorded as interceptions of a point with plant species, litter, <br />standing dead plant material, soil, or rock. Plant material produced during 2005 <br />and still standing was tallied by species. Litter was considered to be any organic <br />material that had fallen, or had begun to fall to the soil surface. Standing dead <br />was any dead plant material that was produced in previous years but which was <br />still standing and had hot lodged or broken off to become litter. Inorganic <br />materials greater than 1 cm in diameter were considered rock. The cover <br />. sampling points were optically projected using aCover-Point Optical Point <br />Projection Device developed by ESCO Associates. The 50 m transects were <br />