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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />This year (2008) represents the third growing season of vegetation after final reclamation <br />of the Carbon Junction Mine (Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />permit C-1992-080) in 2006. The mine underwent final reclamation in the spring and <br />summer of 2006, including reclamation seeding and mulching. Quantitative evaluation of <br />the revegetation for this study was undertaken by Michael and Edith.Savage in June 2008. <br />Additional information was compiled from the approved mining and reclamation permit, <br />herein incorporated by reference. <br />Results from the 2008 vegetation sampling at the Carbon Junction Mine will serve a dual <br />purpose; first, Stipulation 10 to the approval of Technical Revision 15 required <br />verification of vegetation cover values (by vegetation transect data) used to demonstrate <br />that natural levels of erosion have been achieved prior to sediment pond removal, and <br />second, this vegetation study will provide data adequate to demonstrate achievement of <br />the final revegetation success criterion for "vegetation cover is 40 percent with 90 percent <br />statistical confidence". <br />Quantitative data from this study revealed that the vegetation of the reclaimed areas <br />exceeded the final revegetation success criterion (total vegetation cover) for the mine. <br />Further, the state of development of vegetation at the mine shows that the permittee has <br />established a diverse, effective, and permanent vegetative cover of the same seasonal <br />variety as the original vegetation. The data indicate that the Carbon Junction Mine has <br />successfully met the revegetation requirement for Phase III final bond release. Further, <br />the data from the 2008 vegetation sampling show that the vegetation cover values utilized <br />in the 2007 sedimentology analysis to calculate erosion values were accurate. The mean <br />live vegetation cover of the six reclaimed areas evaluated was 63.60 percent. When the <br />mean cover of litter (29.20%) is added, the total value of ground cover is 92.80 percent, <br />greater than the 90 percent value utilized in the 2007 sedimentology calculations. The <br />validity of the 2007 sedimentology calculations is verified and the Stipulation 10 <br />satisfied. <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />This vegetation report presents the results of the 2008 vegetation sampling in satisfaction <br />of Stipulation 10 of Technical Revision 15 and prior to application for final Phase III <br />bond and liability release for the Carbon Junction Mine owned by Oakridge Energy, Inc. <br />Information in this report addresses the vegetative condition of the reclaimed area at the <br />mine. The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety requires quantitative <br />vegetation sampling and reporting as a demonstration of successful revegetation <br />establishment prior to Phase III bond release. Vegetation sampling was performed in <br />compliance with Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board Surface Coal Mining Rules <br />Oakridge Energy Carbon Junction Mine Page 1 <br />2008 Vegetation Sampling Report <br />