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Mountain Coal Cumpam L.I..C'. <br />\Vcxt Elk Coal i\linc <br />~'e~etation :~ssessntent <br />Reclamation on the Lone Pine Gulch F'an Facilities' Portal Area and <br />"I'opsuil titorage r\rea <br />INl'KUI)C(' IlO\ <br />~7ountain Coal Compan} contracted Greystonr Emimnntentnl Consultants, Inc., to conduct an <br />indcltendent assessment o(the initial reclamation activities on the fan facilities mtd Portal Arca <br />in Lone Pine Gulch near Suntcrset, Colorado. 1'he rcdaimed parcels arc located in the southeast <br />'/. of Section l8, TI ±S, K90\\', and stay be located on the USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle titled <br />Somerset. The reclaimed pareeh arc surrounded by (inmbel oaA (~uercuc grrruhclii) shntblund on <br />a northern exposure at an elevation of G,45(1 leer. Assessment parameters include topsoil depth, <br />topsoil nutrient mtalysis, and n qualitative vegetation unahsis. <br />Reclamation activities on the portal facilities and topsoil storage area in Lone Pine Gulch <br />commenced with contouring and topsoil re-distribution in r\pril of 2W2. "Ihe reclatation areas <br />were then seeded. fertilized (30•I~-S XPK), and mulched the week of Slav 17 thraueh'_4. 2002. <br />Drought conditions in the region through the spring and summer precluded gcrntinatiun and <br />growth of vegetation on the reclaimed areas until appreciable moisture was received in September <br />of 2002. <br />\II.I IlUltti <br />l'opsoil analysis was cvahmted b) mndontly <br />locating and sampling four soil pits un the <br />reclaimed parcels; one in the wpu+il stomgc <br />area I'fS• I) and throe in the rcclaintcd portal <br />area (Rli('-I. KEC-2. and KEC-;). Figum 1 <br />shows the portion of the topsoil storage area <br />where soil-pit 'CS-1 was located. The <br />reclaimed portal area :md the gcncnl <br />location of soil-pits Khc -;, KF.C-2. anJ <br />KEC-3, ore shown on Figures 2. 3, and ~. <br />respectively. At each soil pit location, depth <br />of topsoil was recorded and a topsoil sample <br />was collected. 'fhe four wpsoil samples <br />ttcrc delivered to Colorado rlnalvtical <br />Laboratories, Ina and tested for general <br />chemistry, organic content. and available <br />nutricrtts. <br />Vegetative cover on the reclaimed areas was <br />evaluated by estimating the cover per <br />~peeies and total cover within approximately <br />arse square-meter of each topsoil pit. <br />