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1 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br />Introduction <br />Western Fuels-Utah, Inc. (WFU) operates the Deserado Coal Mine under a permit (Permit No. <br />C-81-018) issued by the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DIv1G). Location of the <br />mine is approximately eight miles east of Rangely, Colorado off State Highway 64. The <br />Deserado Mine is an underground coal mine using the longwall method of coal extraction. <br />Continuous miners are also used to develop mains and gate roads. The run-of--mine coal is <br />crushed and washed in the on-site prepazation plant. Washed coal is shipped to the Bonanza <br />Power Generating Station by rail. The refuse remaining afrer the coal washing process is shipped <br />by haul trucks to refuse disposal areas. There are three refuse disposal areas, RP-l, RP-2/3, and <br />RP-4. The refuse disposal area RP-1 is full and was reclaimed in the summer of 1990. <br />According to the permit, refuse dis areas must be reclaimed with a mtnt ~I and <br />sub a.4-eeve ur eet. estimates that available subsoil and topsoil quantities are <br />adequate to meet the four- pot cover rea~~irement for other planned refuse disposal areas other <br />than nsequently, WFU needs a DMG vartance rpm <br />obtain this variance, a demonstration of revegetation success using less than four feet of cover <br />must be provided. <br />' The objective of this study is to investigate whether successful revegetation can be achieved with <br />a topsoil/subsoil cover thickness of less than four feet. If the study shows that a lower <br />topsoil/subsoil cover thickness can achieve successful revegetation, then WFU will apply to DMG <br />' for a variance from the four feet cover requirement. The variance will establish the cover depth <br />shown to be adequate by the study as the revegetation success standard. <br />' WFU coordinated with DMG and has agreed upon a study plan that will provide the demonstra- <br />tion of revegetation success with less than four feet of cover. Objectives of the study are: <br />' Using the reference plot, define revegetation success criteria for vegetative cover, production. <br />species diversity, and woody plant density for statistical evaluation of test plot revegetation <br />success; <br />• Assess the revegetation success of the test plots with northern and southern exposures and 12- <br />inch, 24-inch, 36-inch, and 48-inch topsoil/subsoil cover thicknesses over a four growing <br />season period; and <br />• Determine the minimum cover thickness with which successful revegetation of the refuse <br />disposal areas can be achieved. <br />The objectives of this report are to: 1) present the results of the 1995 vegetation and 1996 soil <br />sampling conducted on the test plots; 2) compare those results with the vegetation and soil data <br />collected in previous years; 3) use the results of the sampling to determine the minimum soil <br />cover thickness; and 4) establish success criteria for vegetative cover, production, species <br />diversity, and woody plant density. These criteria will be consistent with DMG regulation 4.1 ~.8. <br /> <br />c <br />'_360?'~I'vee-rpi~ 1 <br />