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INTRODUCTION <br />4 <br />Quantitative sampling of reclaimed areas at Seneca Coal Company's (SCC) Seneca IIW Mine <br />was undertaken in July 2009 by ESCO Associates to facilitate SCC's continuing monitoring of the <br />progress of these areas in relation to revegetation performance standards. 2009 data collection <br />was pursued toward the end of providing datasets adequate to allow formal testing of <br />Revegetation Success and for use in eventual application for Phase 2 (II) Bond Release. <br />Methods, sample areas, and sample sizes were those specified in a study plan submitted by SCC <br />to Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (ESCO 2005b). <br />METHODS <br />Phase 2 (H) Area Sampling <br />All eligible Seneca IIW reclaimed lands were sampled for cover to provide information that would <br />be of use were an application for Phase 2 (II) bond release for those lands. These areas included <br />areas seeded in 2005 and all years prior. Sample areas and sample locations are shown on Map <br />1, "Vegetation Monitoring Locations - Phase 2 Bond Release Block." <br />Extended Reference Area Sampling <br />The Aspen Mountain Brush, Sagebrush /Snowberry, Steep Mountain Brush, and Western <br />Wheatgrass; Alkai, Sagebrush Extended Reference Areas were sampled to provide data for <br />comparison with reclaimed area data. Reference Area sampling locations are shown on Map 2, <br />"2009 Extended Reference Area Monitoring Locations" <br />Summary of Sampling Design <br />Action <br />Phase II Bond Release <br />Reference Areas <br />Quantitative Cover Sampling <br />Min 20 samples <br />Min. 15 samples (and to <br />(and to adequacy") <br />adequacy) <br />Quantitative Production <br />NA ** <br />NA *" <br />Sampling <br />Woody Plant Density Sampling - <br />NA — sampled in 2009 for <br />NA <br />Background <br />informational purposes <br />Woody Plant Density Sampling — <br />� Concentration Areas <br />NA <br />NA — sampled in 2009 for <br />NA <br />NA — sampled in 2009 for <br />Species Density Sampling <br />informational purposes <br />informational purposes <br />Success Demonstration <br />Hypoth Testing for cover <br />NA <br />Approach <br />Or to tatty samples <br />*' Not applicable — Phase II bond release is concerned with cover values only <br />1 <br />