Laserfiche WebLink
Responses to Comment Letters for Blue Pit Amendment <br />2014 <br />Parks and Wildlife Issues <br />a- Bear proof dumpsters will be utilized on site and best attempts possible will be <br />made to empty dumpsters and other trash containers on a daily basis. Very few <br />trash containers will be maintained on site. <br />b- All rangeland areas in the reclamation plan will receive big sagebrush seed in the <br />amount of 0.5 lbs per acre with seed that has been collected in the general <br />vicinity. This seed will be additional to the seed mix in the current permit <br />application and will be applied at the same time of year and with the same <br />mulching requirements as already specified in the reclamation plan. Four wing <br />saltbush and rubber rabbitbrush will also be applied at the rate specified per acre <br />in the permit application. <br />c- Company safety and policy requirements will be posted in the office which state <br />that dogs should not be allowed on site. All employees will be instructed in this <br />policy. <br />d- BMPs that will be used to protect microbial activity in the topsoil will be to place <br />as much soil directly from areas in advance of the pit to areas behind the pit that <br />have been permanently graded. The topsoil stockpile which exists east of the <br />current pit area will be seeded and mulched until it can be used in reclamation. <br />Weed control will also be employed on this stockpile. No new stockpiles are <br />envisioned for the mine operation. <br />e- The final reclamation plan is based on a rangeland slopes at 3H:1V at all locations <br />with some additional benches for collection ditches. A ramp at a much milder <br />slope will be in place to access all pit area. For this reason, animals will always be <br />able to exit the pit. Upon final reclamation, irrigation will be restored in the <br />western pit bottom, thus providing winter forage for game animals. <br />f- The general hours of operation of the pit are from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For <br />certain jobs, it may be necessary to extend these hours to meet job requirements. <br />Also, occasionally, repair of equipment must take place after hours to continue <br />operation the following day. <br />Water Resources Issues <br />a- Storm water captured by the pit will be released into the groundwater system <br />since the pit floor is generally porous. <br />b- No groundwater will be exposed as part of the operation. If any is exposed, it <br />will be immediately covered by 2 feet of fill from the pit and no further <br />excavation will take place in the area. <br />