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Colowyo SL4 <br />October 29, 2010 <br />Vegetation sampling from 2006 found that live vegetative cover was found to be successful on the Bond Release <br />Block (BRB) after application of hypothesis testing. The 2006 vegetation cover mean was slightly less that 90% <br />of the reference areas weighted mean. CCC conducted one - sample hypothesis (t -test) testing and was able to <br />demonstrate that the difference was not statistically significant, and therefore met the phase II cover success <br />requirement. CCC also demonstrated that the BRB was sampled to statistical adequacy. <br />Vegetation sampling from 2007 found that live vegetative cover was found to be successful on the Bond Release <br />Block (BRB). The 2007 BRB mean cover value exceeded the 2007 reference areas weighted mean. CCC also <br />demonstrated that the BRB was sampled to statistical adequacy. <br />The BRB sampled in 2006 and 2007 included 28 reclaimed parcels: EP028, EP029, EP030, EP031, EP032, EP033, <br />EP034, EP035, EP036, EP037, EP038, EP039, EPO40, EPO41, EPO42, EPO43, EPO44, WP003, WP004, WP005, <br />W P006, W P007, W P008, WP009, W PO10, W P011, 516010, and 516014. Asa result of the Division's <br />observations during the bond release inspection conducted on August 24, 2010, the northern half, <br />approximately 6.1 acres, reclamation parcel EPO41 will be removed from the bond release block due to the <br />dominance of Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). <br />2. 2009 Vegetation monitoring report included reclamation parcel WP001, but parcel WP001 was not included in <br />the SL4 bond release block. CCC removed the data collected in parcel WPDO3 from the SL4 2009 vegetation <br />sample data. Statistical sample adequacy, vegetative cover mean, and standard deviation were all recalculated <br />after the exclusion of data collected from parcel WP001. This response from CCC is acceptable <br />3. Adequacy concern - comparison with Exhibit 2 Phase II bond release map and 2009 vegetation report map 1) <br />page 3 of Cedar Creek report, shows transect 37 falling to the east of parcel WP004. Cedar Creek Associates <br />(CCA) included WP001 in their sampling list. The parcel that transect 37 was located in does not appear to be <br />included in Colowyo's requested area for Phase II bond release. This parcel should either be included in the <br />bond release request or the data from this parcel removed from the 2009 vegetation data. Even with transect <br />37 data removed from the data set, the 2009 data shows cover was successful compared to the weighted mean <br />of the two reference areas. <br />Operator response: CCC confirmed that transect 37 was located within reclamation parcel WP004 and <br />therefore remains included in the 2009 BRB vegetation sampled results. This response is acceptable. <br />Based upon data collected in 2008 and 2009, the Division finds the vegetative cover on SL4 bond release block <br />successful for Phase II Bond Release requirements. <br />4. Adequacy comment: The sample location points shown on the maps included in each vegetation report are at a <br />huge scale, 225'diameter "dots" =.91 acres each. This is an issue when determining if all transects fall within the <br />parcels being requested for bond release. This was a concern in the 2008 sampling data. A smaller sized <br />identifier should be used to indicate the locations of the transect start points. <br />Operator response: CCC has resized the transect start location points mapping symbols to include crosshairs to <br />better define the starting location of each cover transect. This response is acceptable and allows the Division to <br />determine the starting point of each cover sampling transect. CCC provided revised vegetation sampling maps <br />with the vegetation reports. <br />