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Barx soils in this area are prime farmlands (see February 11, 2008 memorandum from <br />NRCS Soil Scientist Dave Dearstyne in permit Attachment 2.04.9 -6). In the PR -6 <br />application WFC acknowledged that the area had been historically used as cropland, and <br />there is a dependable and adequate water supply. Therefore, the entire area of fields <br />southwest of the intersection of BB Road and 2700 Road is considered Prime Farmland <br />(total of 107.96 acres of proposed disturbance within the permit area), and will be restored <br />to Prime Farmland standards. <br />Determined Not To Be Prime Farmland <br />• Small areas of Darvey -Barx (98E) and Begay (98A) soils located north of BB Road <br />and west of 2700 Road, in the NH -2 permit area block have been evaluated and <br />determined to not meet the Prime Farmland criteria, because they historically were not <br />managed as cropland and lacked sufficient water for proper irrigation (see NRCS <br />Resource Conservationist letter dated June 27, 2008, in Attachment 2.04.9- 10 -4). <br />• Areas of D70B soils (Bari Sandy Loam, Barx -Bari Scalped -Bari Buried Complex) <br />which were mined and reclaimed prior to 2008, located within the NH -2 permit block <br />to the east of 2700 Road and south of BB Road, were previously determined not to <br />meet the Prime Farmland criteria, because of the lack of an adequate and dependable <br />supply of irrigation water (see NRCS District Conservationist letter of October 14, <br />1992, in permit Attachment 2.04.9 -6 -2). Mining and reclamation operations were <br />conducted and completed with the understanding that the October 14, 1992 <br />determination also applied to areas of Map Unit 98E (Darvey -Bari Complex), located <br />north of BB Road and east of 2700 Road. <br />For the prime farmland areas, WFC has proposed a plan to comply with Rule 2.06.6(4). <br />a) The approved postmining land use of the prime farmlands is irrigated cropland — <br />alfalfa hay. <br />b) WFC has consulted with the National Resource Conservation Service on the proposed <br />soil reconstruction plan. The NRCS concurrence is found in Attachment 2.05.4(2)(e)- <br />11. <br />c) WFC has provided detailed plans on the equipment and the methods that will be used <br />to restore the prime farmland, within a reasonable time, to equivalent or higher levels <br />or yield as non -mined prime farmland in the surrounding area under equivalent levels <br />of management; and <br />d) The proposed operations will be conducted in compliance with the requirements of <br />Rule 4.25 and other environmental protection performance and reclamation standards <br />of the Rules for mining and reclamation of prime farmland. <br />