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portrayed on maps and submitted to the CDRMS by June 1St, which is followed up by <br />on- the - ground maintenance to rectify the problem areas. These areas and remedial <br />actions are observed during CDRMS mine inspections. <br />Weed Control. Reclaimed areas and mine related disturbances, such as <br />roadsides and facilities, are monitored for noxious weed infestations. <br />Monitoring is conducted through formal revegetation monitoring program or as <br />qualitative observations by SCC reclamation personnel. If noxious weed <br />infestations occur at levels that may interfere with successful reclamation, or are <br />detrimental to stand quality, weed control is implemented. Application of <br />herbicides has been carried out by two primary agents, outside services or <br />Reclamation Department personnel of the Seneca Coal Company. The weed <br />control activities are documented and detailed in the Annual Reclamation Report <br />submitted to CDRMS by March 31St of every year. <br />Interseeding of Previously Seeded Areas. Interseeding is performed when <br />necessary to ensure adequate vegetative cover is maintained to meet the revegetation <br />criteria set forth in the approved PAP. Monitoring at the Seneca II Mine shows that <br />adequate perennial vegetation cover is well established by the second or third <br />growing season, indicating that the perennial species were present prior to that point <br />though not obvious. If reclaimed areas have a low vegetative cover, including <br />annuals, after the first growing season, the area are evaluated for perennial species <br />density. When it is determined that the density of perennial species (excluding <br />noxious or problem weeds) is less than one per square foot in a seeded area after <br />several years, then the area is interseeded using the appropriate permanent seed mix. <br />If interseeding is conducted the activities are documented and detailed in the <br />Annual Reclamation Report submitted to CDRMS by March 31St every year. <br />Topsoil Replacement <br />Early topsoil balance estimates for the North Area indicated that a mean replacement <br />thickness of approximately 15.6 inches (1.3 feet) would be available for replacement. In <br />2005 an updated topsoil balance indicated that there was sufficient topsoil to replace an <br />average of 13.2 inches (1.1 foot) over the remaining disturbance area. Exact dates of <br />topsoil replacement are not available, however the dates that revegetation occurred are <br />shown on Exhibit B, Chronological Revegetation, and it is logical to assume that topsoil <br />replacement occurred either in that same year or in the previous year. <br />The redistributed topsoil came either from stockpiles or was direct handled as <br />circumstances allowed. The topsoil was replaced using scrapers and was laid down at the <br />approximate depth required by the topsoil balance <br />Numerous topsoil depth samples (233) have been taken over the entire disturbed mining <br />area 1,290.2 acres which translates to one (1) sample per 5.5 acres. The results of this <br />sampling indicate an average replacement depth of 23 inches over the entire area <br />requested for Phase II bond release. Based on the results of the topsoil depth sampling, <br />the area meets or exceeds the estimated replacement depths over the entire Phase II bond <br />release area. Attachment D, Topsoil Depth Sampling Summary, presents a tabulation <br />SL -5 -5 <br />