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Rio Tinto Energy America <br />Colowyo Coal Company, L.P. <br />Co I owyo Mine <br />2010 REVEGETATION MONITORING REPORT <br />REVEGETATION UNITS: REFERENCE AREAS: <br />EP036 EP042 SECTION 16 - YEAR 13 MOUNTAIN SHRUB <br />EP039 EP044 WP008 SAGEBRUSH <br />EP040 EP051 WP014 <br />EP041 <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />Cedar Creek Associates, Inc. (Cedar Creek) was contracted in 2010 by Colowyo Coal Company <br />(Colowyo) to implement a vegetation monitoring program within selected revegetated units at the <br />Colowyo Mine. Monitoring was performed in the interest of ascertaining progress toward revegetation <br />success in general accordance with Rule 3.03, Release of Performance Bonds. The revegetated areas <br />evaluated in 2010 consisted of seven total units within the East Pit area, two units within the West Pit <br />area, and a collection of 13-year old areas in Section 16. These areas range in size from 4.1 acres to <br />68.3 acres. At the time of sampling, revegetation within evaluated units had experienced between 1 to <br />13 growing seasons following completion of seeding. In addition, two reference areas (Mountain Shrub - <br />1980 and Sagebrush - 1981) were sampled to provide cover and production comparison values to <br />facilitate an evaluation of progress toward success for the reclaimed units. Mountain Shrub Reference <br />Area data receive a weighting of 55% and the Sagebrush Reference Area data receive a weighting of <br />45% for the data comparison based on the original permitted operations at Colowyo. The location of <br />each unit and reference area evaluated in 2010 is indicated on Map 1 and the sample points within each <br />area are provided on "in-text" maps for each unit in Section 2.0. <br />Field sampling for the directly measurable variables of ground cover, current annual production, <br />seedling density (only for 1-year-old units), and woody plant density was systematically conducted within <br />the designated units from July 26th through July 30th, 2010. Sampling occurred immediately following the <br />peak of growth in July. Field efforts in 2010 were conducted under the direct supervision of Cedar <br />Creek's Range Ecologist, Mr. Jesse H. Dillon and/or Reclamation/Range Ecologist, Joshua D. Eldridge. <br />Cedar Creek Associates, Inc. 1 Colowyo Mine <br />2010 Revegetation Monitoring Report