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• INTRODUCTION At the request of Trapper Mining Inc. (Trapper), Phase III final bond release revegetafion sampling was conducted on three reclaimed blocks and one reference area at the Trapper Mine. The three reclaimed blocks sampled included one Cropland Reclamation Block and two Rangeland Reclamation Blocks. The Cropland Reference Area was also sampled. The Cropland Reclamation Block CR-93-94 Area, reclaimed between 1993 and 1994 containing 185.5 acres; and the Cropland Reference Area which is located outside ofthe mine dishn~bance area and which contains 43.7 acres were sampled. The two Rangeland Reclamation Blocks sampled included Reclamation Block AD&H-AB, which was reclaimed between 1993 and 1995, containing 4185 acres; and Reclamation Block AC&D-C, which was reclaimed between 1987 and 1995, containing 175.7 acres. The locations of theses specific reclamation blocks are depicted on the enclosed maps. This revegetation monitoring effort was prepared with the intention of satisfying the first year of the final two years of the Phase III monitoring requirement of the Final Bond Release revegetation sampling requirements for Rangeland Reclamation Blocks AD&H-AB; AC&DC; and Cropland Reclamation Block CR 93-94 (Phase lIl). Mr. Kent Crofts of IME, who has conducted previous vegetation sampling efforts at the Trapper Mine, adjacent Empire Energy Mine and numerous other sites irr northwest Colorado in the past 26 years, directly supervised all field investigations. Assisting in this sampling effort was Mr. Justin Crofts, who acted as the field party chief, and Mr. David Crofts who acted as field GPS technician and was responsible for detem~ivirrg all of the trar>,sect locations using the Trimble Model Pro XRS Global Positioning System. All three individuals • assisted with the field sampling and data analysis. METHODS Maps, in both electronic and hard paper fom~at of the Cropland Reclamation Block, the Cropland Reference Area and the two Rangeland blocks sampled in this revegetation monitoring effort were supplied by Mr. Forrest Luke, Environmental Manager of Trapper Mining Inc., who delineated to the field crews, the exact extent of the reclamation efforts at the Trapper Mine. The specific sampling methodologies used in this evaluation are those found in the Division's "Guidelines with Lend Use and Vegetation Requirements of the ColoradoMuiedLandReclamationBoardforCoalMoeing"issued in June of 1988 and the "Guidelines Regarding Selected Coal Mine Bond Release Issues"issued April 18,1995. In addition to these guidelines, the new proposed regulation changes as found in the 14 March 2003 Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) "Revegetation, Land Usk N'd~Dife andA/luvud Valley Floors" Proposed Colorado Program Amendments docwnent was used with reslxct to sample adequacy calculations and proposed statistical wmparisons. Prior to commencing the field sampling and during the preparation of this report, the Pemut monitoring requirements were examined and discussed with Mr. Luke regarding the proposed sampling methods and data analysis methods to be used. Agreement on the sampling methodology used in this evaluation as well as pemrission to use the proposed program amendmerrts was obtained by Trapper from the DMG prior to initiating field sampling and approved by the Division for use at the Trapper Mine for this sampling effort. In this evaluation, the vegetation parameters of production, plant cover, species diversity and shrub density were •