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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />• As required by Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (CDRMS) regulations, <br />coal mining operations must demonstrate that the vegetation established on reclaimed areas <br />of coal mines support the approved post-mining land use and meet the approved success <br />standard for vegetation cover prior to final Phase III bond release. This year's vegetation <br />sampling represents the second of two years of sampling required prior to final liability and <br />reclamation bond release for selected areas at the Coors Energy Company Keenesburg Mine. <br />Quantitative vegetation sampling of 1985, 1986, 1987, 1995, and 1997 revegetation areas <br />was conducted in September and October 2008. Vegetation cover, total herbaceous <br />production, and species composition were sampled. Comparisons were made between total <br />vegetation cover and total herbaceous production means from the reclamation areas and <br />predicted values calculated from the approved equations based on on-site precipitation from <br />September 2007 to July 2008. All sampled reclamation areas exceeded the predicted value of <br />23.13 percent total vegetation cover in this years sampling. All sampled reclamation areas <br />exceeded the predicted total herbaceous production criterion of 39.66 grams/square meter. <br />Species composition of the reclamation areas was also evaluated from a final success <br />criterion perspective. Results from this year's vegetation sampling at the Keenesburg Mine <br />revealed that the vegetation of the reclaimed areas exceeded the final species composition <br />revegetation success for the mine. Further, the state of development of vegetation at the mine <br />shows that the permittee has established a diverse, effective, and permanent vegetative cover <br />of the same seasonal variety as the original vegetation, meeting the final success criterion for <br />• species composition. <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />This vegetation report represents the second of two vegetation sampling events prior to <br />application for final Phase III bond and liability release for selected parcels at the Keenesburg <br />Mine (Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety permit C-1991-028) owned by <br />Coors Energy Company. <br />Information in this report addresses the vegetative condition of selected reclaimed areas <br />eligible for Phase III bond release at the mine. The Colorado Division of Reclamation, <br />Mining, and Safety (CDRMS) requires quantitative vegetation sampling and reporting as a <br />demonstration of successful revegetation establishment prior to Phase III bond release. <br />Quantitative information in this report addresses the vegetative condition of the 1985, 1986, <br />and 1987 reclamation areas, and the 1995 and 1997 reclamation areas at the mine. <br />Vegetation sampling was performed in compliance with Colorado Mined Land Reclamation <br />Board Surface Coal Mining Rules 2.04. 10 and 4.15 and current botanical and plant ecological <br />methods. Field sampling was conducted between September 25 and October 1, 2008 by <br />Michael and Edith Savage of Savage and Savage, Inc. <br />The Keenesburg Mine is located in Weld County, Colorado, approximately seven (7) miles <br />. north of Keenesburg, Colorado and is accessed by Weld County Road 59. Coors Energy <br />Company operated the Keenesburg Mine for coal extraction from 1980 to 1988. Reclaimed <br />Coors Energy Company Keenesburg Mine <br />2008 Phase III Vegetation Study <br />Page 4