Laserfiche WebLink
• <br />• <br />• <br />Reclaimed areas or mine related associated disturbances such as roadsides and facilities <br />will be monitored for noxious weed infestations. Monitoring will be conducted either <br />through the formal revegetation monitoring program or as qualitative observations by <br />Peabody inspection teams. If noxious weed infestations occur at levels which may <br />interfere with successful reclamation, or are detrimental to stand quality, weed control <br />using herbicides will be implemented. A number of herbicides are available on the market <br />at this time. The Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Service, or <br />representative agent in Montrose County, will be contacted for recommendations as to <br />specific herbicides and application rates for the targeted weeds. Recommendations <br />specified on the herbicide label will also be strictly followed. <br />Herbicides will be applied either by contracted outside services or by Peabody Reclamation <br />Department personnel. Outside services will consist of either the County Weed Control <br />District resources or a private commercial herbicide applicator. <br />All applicators, including Peabody reclamation personnel, will be properly licensed and /or <br />certified to apply restricted or general use herbicides as per Colorado statute and <br />certification and licensing procedures administered through the Division of Plant <br />Industry, Colorado Department of Agriculture. Peabody currently has a weed control <br />program in effect at the Seneca I1 and the Seneca 1I -W Mine. The weed control program at <br />Nucla will be administered similarly. <br />Controlled areas will be monitored for effectiveness of the treatments. Follow -up <br />treatments will be conducted as necessary. Because of the aggressiveness of certain weeds <br />and other variables that may impact the effectiveness of the control program, monitoring <br />for level of control and needed retreatment are critical aspects of the overall control <br />program. Ongoing revegetation monitoring and qualitative observation of reclaimed areas <br />by reclamation personnel will identify retreatment areas and any new areas of established <br />weeds requiring control. The qualitative monitoring will be conducted annually in order <br />to evaluate progress being made towards control of identified noxious weed areas. This <br />information will be provided to the Division by March 15 of each year as part of the <br />Annual Reclamation Report. Finally, as new or improved methods of controlling noxious <br />weeds through the use of herbicides (either existing or new products) become available, <br />they will be evaluated for incorporation into the control program. In treatment areas <br />where herbicidal control has been effective but the density of desireable perennial <br />species is too low to reestablish an effective vegetative cover, the area will be reseeded <br />22 -37 Revised 07/25/91 <br />