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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />• Quantitative sampling of the Osgood sand reference area and the 1985, 1986, 1987, <br />and 1995 reclamation areas was conducted in August 1998. Vegetation cover, <br />herbaceous production, and species composition were the parameters sampled. <br />Comparisons were made between total vegetation cover and total herbaceous production <br />values from the Osgood sand reference area (which establishes the final revegetation <br />success criteria) and the reclaimed areas. The 1985, 1986, and 1987 reclamation areas <br />met the final reclamation success criteria for both total vegetation cover and total <br />herbaceous production. The 1995 reclamation areas met the final success criteria for <br />total herbaceous production but not for total vegetation cover. Species composition of <br />the reclamation azeas was also evaluated from a final success criterion perspective. <br />Based on the current requirements of the mining and reclamation permit, none of the <br />reclamation areas would meet the species composition success criterion. The Osgood <br />sand reference area, the native vegetation community by which the reclamation is <br />evaluated, does not meet the species composition criterion. <br />Quarterly inspections of the reclamation azeas were conducted during 1998 to assess the <br />presence and impacts of pests and disease to the revegetation. No pests or diseases <br />were identified during the 1998 inspections. <br />L INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />This report presents the results of the annual revegetation monitoring and pest and <br />disease inspections for the Keenesburg Mine (Colorado Division of Minerals and <br />Geology permit C-81-028) owned by Coors Energy Company. Information in this <br />report addresses the vegetative condition of the Osgood sand reference area and the <br />1985, 1986, 1987, and 1995 reclamation areas at the mine. Vegetative sampling is <br />required by the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (CDMG) as part of <br />ongoing reclamation monitoring. Vegetation sampling was performed in compliance <br />with Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board Surface Coal Mining Rules 2.04.10 and <br />4.15 and current botanical and plant ecological methods. Field sampling was <br />conducted between August 4 and 8, 1998 by Savage and Savage, lnc. staff. <br />The Keenesburg Mine is located in Weld County, Colorado, approximately seven (7) <br />miles north of Keenesburg, Colorado and is accessed by Weld County Road 59. Coors <br />Energy Company operated the Keenesburg Mine for coal extraction from 1980 to 1988. <br />Reclaimed areas sampled in 1998 were backfilled, graded, topsoiled and revegetated in <br />1985, 1986, 1987, and 1995 in accordance with the approved mining and reclamation <br />plan. The revegetation standards used to evaluate these areas are those currently in <br />effect under the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act (CRS 34-33-101 et <br />• seq) and the Keenesburg Mining and Reclamation Permit (C-81-028). <br />