2014-04-22_REVISION - C1996083 (4)

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Susan Burgmaier -3- April 22, 2014 (b) and that vegetation establishment will be consistent adequate, and consistent with the post mining land use of rangeland /wildlife habitat. C. Item resolved. 6. a. BRL has provided an updated Map 32, as requested. This map was also revised under TR -84, and it looks like the versioning of the maps is out of sequence. The latest version of Map 32 submitted with TR -77 (January 7, 2014) shows topsoil replacement occurring east of Topsoil Stockpile F, in the Barnes field. Under MR- 141, BRL indicated that no disturbance would occur in this area. Please revise Map 32 to remove the topsoil replacement hatching shown on the Barnes field east of Topsoil Stockpile F. BOW2: Please see revised Map -32. b. The January 7, 2014 version of this map also indicates a 2.6' replacement depth for areas receiving Stockpile F and F1 soils. The TR -84 version indicates 1.0'. Please explain the discrepancy and if necessary revise the map with the correct proposed replacement depth, and (see Item 10, below) demonstrate that this change is consistent with the requirements of Rule 4.06.4(2)(a). BOW2: The replacement depth for the gob pile #3 area is based on the amount of topsoil that is actually in stockpile, with a portion of the number being an estimated value. As a general rule, when Appendix A gets submitted, the replacement depth is an estimate based on what the soils survey predicts should be available for salvage. However, a soils report is often times different from actual in -field conditions. The Operator is confident that they salvaged all topsoil that was available for salvage, and, that the amount of material actually available was closer to 1.5'. Therefore, the replacement depth of topsoil will be 1.5'. The discrepancy between the two versions of Map -32 that were submitted were based largely on the timing the map was submitted. Map -32 has been revised to show a replacement depth of topsoil in the gob pile #3 area of 1.5', which should be adequate for supporting the vegetation of cropland /pastureland. And, like the gob pile #2 area, nutrients or other soil amendments will be applied to redistributed topsoil if necessary to support plant nutrient requirements. Please note, area "F" on Map -32 has been changed to "F /F1" due to the configuration shown on Volume XI, Figure 1. Pile "F /F1" contains topsoil that will be replaced at the UTL area and also at gob pile #3. Also, 2' contours were removed from gob pile #2 area for consistency with the contour interval used on rest of map. 7. DRMS: The previously approved topsoil replacement depth for the Gob Pile #1 / #2/ #4 disturbance area was 0.9'. BRL is proposing, on page 14 of Volume IX, to reduce the replacement depth to 0.5'. Please provide additional information, in accordance with Rules 2.05.4(2)(d) and 4.06.4(2)(a), to support this proposed reduction.