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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 bond release. Quantitative vegetation sampling of <br />1998, 1999, and 2000 revegetation areas was conducted in August 2009. Vegetation cover, <br />total herbaceous production, and species composition were sampled. Comparisons were <br />made between total vegetation cover and total herbaceous production means from the <br />reclamation areas and predicted values calculated from the approved equations based on on- <br />site precipitation from September 2008 to July 2009. The sampled reclamation areas <br />exceeded the predicted value of 35.69 percent total vegetation cover in this years sampling. <br />The sampled reclamation areas also exceeded the predicted total herbaceous production <br />criterion of 135.07 grams/square meter. Species composition of the reclamation areas was <br />also evaluated from a final success criterion perspective. Results from this year's vegetation <br />sampling at the Keenesburg Mine revealed that the vegetation of the reclaimed areas <br />exceeded the final species composition revegetation success for the mine. Further, the state <br />of development of vegetation in these areas at the mine shows that the permittee has <br />established a diverse, effective, and permanent vegetative cover of the same seasonal variety <br />as the original vegetation, meeting the final success criterion for species composition. <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />Information in this report addresses the vegetative condition of selected reclaimed areas <br />eligible for bond release at the mine. The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and <br />Safety (CDRMS) requires quantitative vegetation sampling and reporting as a demonstration <br />of successful revegetation establishment prior to bond release. Quantitative information in <br />this report addresses the vegetative condition of the 1998, 1999, and 2000 reclamation areas <br />at the mine. Vegetation sampling was performed in compliance with Colorado Mined Land <br />Reclamation Board Surface Coal Mining Rules 2.04.10 and 4.15 and current botanical and <br />plant ecological methods. Field sampling was conducted between August 6 and 15, 2009 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 />areas sampled in 2009 were backfilled, graded, topsoiled and revegetated in accordance with <br />the approved mining and reclamation plan. The revegetation standards used to evaluate these <br />areas are those currently in effect under the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act <br />(CRS 34-33-101 et seq) and the Keenesburg Mining and Reclamation Permit (C-1981-028). <br />• <br />Coors Energy Company Keene5Wrg Mine Page 4 <br />Areas 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 15, 16, and 19 Vegetation Study (2009)