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EVALUATION OF PREVIOUS TEST PLOT RESULTS FROM MINES 1, 4 AND 5 <br /> The test plots established in 1984 at Mines 1, 4 and 5 were monitored in 1989 <br /> by IMS, Inc. At that time, 5 years after their establishment, vegetation cover <br /> ranged from 21 to 37 percent, and averaged 26.6 percent over all plots (IMS <br /> 1989). Although some plots had been severely damaged by erosional action, <br /> the presence of an average of 26 percent cover is clearly an important <br /> deterent to erosion on much of the area that was reclaimed. I disagree with <br /> any claim by MCR or its consultants that this level of vegetational cover is not <br /> worth the effort and expense. <br /> EVALUATION OF AREAS REVEGETATED BY DMG AT COAL BASIN SINCE 1995 <br /> Dan Mathews of DMG reviewed the results of mine closure revegetation efforts <br /> accomplished between 1995 and 1997 on the Coal Basin site during the period <br /> of October 13 to 15, 1998 (DMG letter report of 4 February 1999). His <br /> observations included quantitative data on percent ground cover on many of <br /> the sites. His observations indicate that within the elapsed one to three <br /> growing seasons, plant cover was mostly in the range of 20 to 40 percent, <br /> with a few as high as nearly 50 percent and a few as low as 15 percent. This <br /> again clearly demonstrates the feasiblility of establishing cover on even the <br /> steep slopes in Coal Basin. <br /> 6 <br />