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STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (303) 866-3567 <br />FAX: (303) 832-8106 <br />February 22, 2008 <br />Mr. James Fulton <br />Chief, Denver Field Division <br />Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement <br />P.O. Box 46667 <br />Denver, CO 80201-6667 <br />RE: 2008 National Award Nomination for Seneca Coal Company <br />Seneca II-West Mine (Colorado Permit No. C-1982-057) <br />Study of Aspen Establishment on Reclaimed Mined Land <br />Dear Mr. Fulton: <br />COLORADO <br />D l V t 5 1 0 N O F <br />RECLAMATION <br />MINING <br />-&- <br />SAFETY <br />Bill Ritter, Jr. <br />Governor <br />Harris D. Sherman <br />Executive Director <br />Ronald W. Cattany <br />Division Director <br />Natural Resource Trustee <br />The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (the Division) recommends that you <br />give strong consideration to the nomination for the 2008 National Award submitted by Seneca <br />Coal Company (SCC) for the aspen reestablishment work they have undertaken at the Seneca II- <br />West Mine in Routt County, Colorado. Operations at the mine (a dip slope area surface mine) <br />mined through approximately 50 acres of aspen forest, an important seasonal habitat for <br />numerous wildlife species in northwest Colorado. <br />SCC has been working with Dr. Robert Musselman, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain <br />Research Station, Colorado State University, and the Division to evaluate successful <br />reestablishment of aspen on mined areas in the western U.S. This research has been partially <br />funded by a 2006 OSM Applied Science cooperative agreement. <br />In order to investigate possible approaches that could result in successful establishment, SCC <br />implemented a replanting program on a limited operational basis in 2004, and cooperated in an <br />on-site research study conducted by the Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station <br />(RMRS). Based on previous experience and literature documentation regarding loss of aspen <br />plantings due to ungulate browsing (primarily elk), research plots and operational plantings were <br />enclosed in 8 foot high elk proof fencing. Due to postulated problems associated with <br />insufficient soil moisture during establishment, the primary focus of the research study was to <br />investigate the potential benefit of differing drip irrigation treatments. Other variables <br />investigated during the three year research study included type of planting stock (site native <br />saplings, commercial potted saplings, volunteer sprouts from root segments in topsoil), soil <br />treatment (roto-cleared fresh soil vs. dozer cleared stored soil) and influence of competing <br />vegetation ("weeded" vs. "non-weeded"}. <br />Office of <br />Office of <br />Mined Land Reclamation Denver Crand Junction Durango Active and Inactive Mines <br />