2015-03-04_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981020

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plan and meet all applicable performance standards, including but not limited to:  Backfilling and grading disturbed areas to achieve the approximate original contour with the elimination of all highwalls, spoil piles, and depressions  Achieving a post-mining slope that does not exceed either the angle of repose or such lesser slope as is necessary to achieve a minimum long-term static safety factor of 1.3 and to prevent slides  Minimizing erosion and water pollution both on and off the site  Demonstrating that the re-vegetation is suitable to support the post-mining land use  Demonstrating that water quality standard exceedances attributable to excess suspended solids contributions or other issues are not occurring from the reclaimed area(s)  Re-establishing a stable vegetative ground cover For the completion of Phase III, the operator must successfully complete all surface coal mining and reclamation activities Administrative Review Prior to conducting the field evaluation, an administrative review of pertinent documentation was conducted by OSMRE’s Denver Field Division staff. These documents included CAM Mining, LLC’s bond release application, approved permit application, approved reclamation plan, and the most recent bonding decrease rider, as made available through the Colorado DRMS’ Laserfiche WebLink. Loma Loadout Pre and post-mining land use at the Loma Loadout is industrial. Reclamation began in 2001 with contouring and seeding of the 2.9 acre loadout. Initial vegetative establishment was poor, so in 2004 this same area was drill seeded using a slightly different seed mixture. Minor rill and gully repair plus weed control was performed at this time as well. According to the bond release application, a vegetation evaluation performed in May and June of 2013 demonstrated that untreated drainage from the Loma Loadout does not contribute suspended solids above natural conditions. The study further concluded that the shrub and forb-dominated vegetative community appears suitable for supporting additional, higher post-mining land uses than industrial. The 2.9 acre Loma Loadout measures approximately 70’w x 3,000’l and sits adjacent to the Union Pacific railroad track and US Rt. 6 / Rt. 50 to the north; residential and grazing areas to the south and west; and mixed residential, industrial, grazing, and commercial uses to the east. The field inspection demonstrated that backfilling and grading were done to achieve stable approximate original contour (AOC), that erosion and sediment control measures had been implemented successfully, and that vegetation had been successfully established. Due to the industrial post-mining land use, adequate control of erosion is all that is required to demonstrate vegetative success. The team observed successful germination of four-wing saltbush, greasewood, rubber rabbitbrush, and kochia prostrata, as specified in the salt tolerant seed mixture identified in Table 3.4.2 of the approved permit. There was no evidence of sediment transport or erosion or any unabated hazards. All participants expressed confidence that this bond release would be approved. Munger Canyon Mine Post-mining land use at the Munger Canyon Mine site is wildlife and grazing. Reclamation began in 2006 with contouring and seeding of the 1.6 acre light use road. In 2007, the mine portal area, haul road, and coal mine waste disposal area were contoured using approximately six inches of topsoil and seeded with the approved big sagebrush shrubland seed mixture. According to the bond release application, a vegetation evaluation performed in May and June of 2013 demonstrated that untreated drainage from the reclaimed areas of the Munger Canyon Mine does not contribute suspended solids above natural conditions. The study also found that vegetation at the mine site passed ground cover requirements for Phase II bond release. Water monitoring data compiled from annual hydrology reports show the reclaimed mine site does not have a significant impact on regional groundwater and surface water systems. No subsidence monitoring is required as no renewable resources exist