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Evaluation Parameter <br />Phase Ill BRB -1 <br />Reference Areas <br />Quantitative Cover Sampling <br />Min. 30 samples <br />(and to adequacy as necessary) <br />Min. 15 samples (and to <br />adequacy as necessary) <br />Quantitative Production <br />Sampling <br />Min. 30 samples <br />Min. 30 samples <br />Woody Plant Density Sampling <br />— Background <br />Min. 30 samples <br />NA <br />Woody Plant Density Sampling <br />— Concentration Areas <br />Min. 50 samples <br />NA <br />Species Density Sampling <br />Min. 30 samples <br />Min. 15 samples <br />Success Demonstration <br />Approach <br />Hypoth. Testing for cover, production <br />and woody plant density <br />3 of 4 specified tests for species <br />diversity <br />NA <br />INTRODUCTION <br />Quantitative sampling of reclaimed and reference areas at Seneca Coal Company (SCC) Yoast Mine was <br />undertaken in 2012 by ESCO Associates to provide data for formal testing of Revegetation Success in <br />application for Phase Ill Bond Release. The present report constitutes data for year one of two required <br />years of testing. Methods, sample areas, and sample sizes were those specified in a study plan <br />submitted by SCC to Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (ESCO 2005b). <br />METHODS <br />Phase Ill Bond Release Block 1 Sampling <br />The 257.4 acres of the 2012 Bond Release Block 1 was assembled from reclamation parcels seeded <br />from 2001 to 2004. Sample areas and locations are shown on Map 1, "2012 Vegetation Monitoring <br />Locations - Phase Ill BRB -1." <br />Reference Area Sampling <br />The Aspen, Mountain Brush, Sagebrush and Steep Mountain Brush Extended Reference Areas were <br />sampled to provide cover and production data for comparison with reclaimed area data. Reference Area <br />sampling locations are shown on Map 2, "2012 Vegetation Monitoring Locations - Reference Areas." <br />Summary of Sampling Design <br />1 <br />