2009-03-16_REVISION - C1981028 (4)

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • As required by Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (CDRMS) regulations, coal mining operations must demonstrate that the vegetation established on reclaimed areas of coal mines support the approved post-mining land use and meet the approved success standard for vegetation cover prior to final Phase III bond release. This year's vegetation sampling represents the first of two years of sampling required prior to final liability and reclamation bond release for selected areas at the Coors Energy Company Keenesburg Mine. Quantitative vegetation sampling of 1985, 1986, 1987, 1995, and 1997 revegetation areas was conducted in August 2007. Vegetation cover, total herbaceous production, and species composition were sampled. Comparisons were made between total vegetation cover and total herbaceous production means from the reclamation areas and predicted values calculated from the approved equations based on on-site precipitation from September 2006 to July 2007. All sampled reclamation areas exceeded the predicted value of 36.45 percent total vegetation cover in this years sampling. All sampled reclamation areas exceeded the predicted total herbaceous production criterion of 165.33 grams/square meter. Species composition of the reclamation areas was also evaluated from a final success criterion perspective. Results from this year's vegetation sampling at the Keenesburg Mine revealed that the vegetation of the reclaimed areas exceeded the final species composition revegetation success for the mine. Further, the state of development of vegetation at the mine shows that the permittee has established a diverse, effective, and permanent vegetative cover of the same seasonal variety as the original vegetation. • 1.0 INTRODUCTION This vegetation report represents the first of two vegetation sampling events prior to application for final Phase III bond and liability release for selected parcels at the Keenesburg Mine (Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety permit C-1991-028) owned by Coors Energy Company. Information in this report addresses the vegetative condition of selected reclaimed areas eligible for Phase III bond release at the mine. The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (CDRMS) requires quantitative vegetation sampling and reporting as a demonstration of successful revegetation establishment prior to Phase III bond release. Quantitative information in this report addresses the vegetative condition of the 1985, 1986, and 1987 reclamation areas, and the 1995 and 1997 reclamation areas at the mine. Vegetation sampling was performed in compliance with Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board Surface Coal Mining Rules 2.04. 10 and 4.15 and current botanical and plant ecological methods. Field sampling was conducted between August 28 and 31, 2007 by Michael and Edith Savage of Savage and Savage, Inc. The Keenesburg Mine is located in Weld County, Colorado, approximately seven (7) miles north of Keenesburg, Colorado and is accessed by Weld County Road 59. Coors Energy • Company operated the Keenesburg Mine for coal extraction from 1980 to 1988. Reclaimed areas sampled in 2007 were backfilled, graded, topsoiled and revegetated in accordance with Coors Energy Company Keenesburg Mine Page 4 2007 Phase III Vegetation Study