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With regard to Phase II bond release, the approved reclamation plan calls for the following. <br />REQUIRED TOPSOIL REPLACEMENT DEPTH <br />The average replacement thickness of topsoil in the mine facilities area is approved to be approximately <br />six inches (Section 2.05.4 in the PAP). For the RDA the approved thickness is one foot deep. <br />VEGETATIVE COVER SUCCESS STANDARD <br />The vegetative cover standard in Section 2.05.4 of the PAP indicates that herbaceous cover will be <br />considered successful when herbaceous cover on the reclaimed area is greater than or equal to 90 percent <br />of the herbaceous cover from the reference areas. (At Southfield, multiple reference areas are used and <br />the cover value comes from a weighted average based on acreage.) <br />POST MINING LAND USE (IN TERMS OF HOW THE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY WILL <br />SUPPORT THE LAND USE) <br />Per Section 2.05.4, all existing and future disturbance within the Southfield mine and loadout areas will <br />be reclaimed to post -mining land uses of rangeland and wildlife habitat consistent with pre -mining land <br />use patterns. EFCI's revegetation plan is the final step in reclaiming the land to productive self- <br />sustaining uses as rangeland and wildlife habitat for domestic livestock and wildlife species. This plan <br />utilizes baseline data and provides for sustainable species that are valuable to both livestock and wildlife. <br />SUSPENDED SOLIDS ESTIMATES <br />Sediment demonstrations for Phase II bond releases are not addressed in the PAP. However, EFCI <br />provided an adequate sediment demonstration pursuant to Rule 3.03.1(3)(b). <br />PHASE III <br />Rule 3.03.1(2)(c) states that the final portion of performance bond, "shall be released when the permittee <br />has successfully completed all surface coal mining reclamation operations in accordance with this <br />approved reclamation plan, and the final inspection procedures of 3.03.2 have been satisfied. This shall <br />not be before the expiration of the period specified for revegetation responsibility in 3.02.3." Rule <br />3.03.1(4) states, " No bond shall be fully released until all reclamation requirements of these Rules and <br />the Act are fully met...". The same rule goes on to state, " No acreage shall be released from the permit <br />area until all surface coal mining and reclamation operations on that acreage have been completed in <br />accordance with the approved reclamation plan." <br />The Southfield Mine reclamation plan calls for the following (categories covered by Phase I and II above <br />are omitted from this section). <br />Southfield Mine SL -03 Page 11 of 21 February 23, 2016 <br />