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observations indicate that this potential is not being realized in large part due to grazing <br /> of the reclaimed areas during the mid to late summer of each year. <br /> The summer of 2004 provides an example of these observations. I visited the site on a <br /> number of occasions from mid-June through late October. By August, grasses on Roads <br /> B and D, which provide access to Mines 1 and 2 from the Lamphouse, were growing <br /> well, and exhibited excellent seed development. When cattle moved into this area, the <br /> grasses were grazed, as expected. As a result, the reclamation species planted on the road <br /> network were not able to re-seed themselves. The grazing substantially reduced plant <br /> height and width so that ground cover was reduced, soil exposure increased, and <br /> reseeding potential was virtually non-existent. By early fall, ground cover was <br /> significantly diminished on these previously revegetated roads and on the mine benches. <br /> Given current uses, I estimate that ground cover at the reclaimed portions of Coal Basin <br /> will not increase beyond its current state, which, I suspect, is well below its potential. <br /> Both the Division and the Forest Service are clearly committed to achieving the best <br /> possible reclamation outcome for Coal Basin. Because the Divisions' involvement there <br /> will be completed in the not-to-distant future, we would like to take some short term steps <br /> to expand the capability of the site to achieve its greatest long term vegetative potential. <br /> Observations of reclaimed areas that were fenced immediately following seeding for a <br /> period of two to three years indicates that vegetation became better established than at <br /> areas that were seeded but not fenced. I assume that this is at least partially due to the <br /> opportunity for new vegetation to reseed itself and to become well rooted prior to being <br /> disturbed by cattle. We cannot afford to fence all of the reclaimed areas, so we are <br /> suggesting that a modification to the cattle grazing schedule at Coal Basin be <br /> implemented. These modifications to the grazing schedule would occur in conjunction <br /> with revegetation activities that we would undertake. <br /> In order to allow vegetation to reseed itself, and for the reseeded plants to become better <br /> established, we think that it would be most beneficial to allow the reclaimed areas to be <br /> free of grazing for a two to three year period following a reseeding program that we plan <br /> to undertake in the future. This could be done on a rotating schedule. For instance, we <br /> spent a considerable amount of money revegetating portions of Mines 1, 2, 3 and the <br /> Mine 5 Fan area, as well as the access roads to Mines 1, 2 and 3 (Roads B, D, E, F) in the <br /> fall of 2004. We propose that cattle be excluded from these areas for the next three <br /> seasons (2005, 2006, 2007), as substantial portions of these areas were seeded, and <br /> organic (and likely palatable) sediment control measures were placed at each location. <br /> As part of the rotation, other portions of the basin would be closed to grazing in a logical <br /> sequence in conjunction with reseeding operations conducted by our contractors. As an <br /> example, perhaps in the fall of 2005 we could seed the Mine 4 area and its access road <br /> (Road C), and the reclaimed areas adjacent to Dutch Creek, the mine facilities area and <br /> the refuse piles near the confluence of Coal and Dutch Creeks. These areas would then <br /> be closed to grazing for a two year period. The following year(2006) we would reseed <br />