2016-08-22_REVISION - C1981014 (8)

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to MW -65 has been designated as permanent, and the spur off of the MW -NW road has been deemed by the Division as ineligible for release at this time. When EFCI applies for release of the spur area in the future, a sediment demonstration must be performed. PHASE III Rule 3.03.1(2)(c) states that the final portion of performance bond, "shall be released when the permittee has successfully completed all surface coal mining reclamation operations in accordance with this approved reclamation plan, and the final inspection procedures of 3.03.2 have been satisfied. This shall not be before the expiration of the period specified for revegetation responsibility in 3.02.3." Rule 3.03.1(4) states, "No bond shall be fully released until all reclamation requirements of these Rules and the Act are fully met...". Further, "No acreage shall be released from the permit area until all surface coal mining and reclamation operations on that acreage have been completed in accordance with the approved reclamation plan." With regards to the Phase III bond release, the approved reclamation plan calls for the following. REVEGETATION The cover success standard is discussed in the Phase II section above. Vegetative productivity is considered successful when vegetative biomass on the reclaimed area is greater than or equal to 90 percent of the vegetative biomass from the reference areas. (As noted with cover, multiple reference areas are used and the reference area value comes from a weighted average based on acreage.) Successful species diversity is determined using the vegetative cover data. Species diversity is considered adequate when the four dominant species comprise no more than 80 percent of the total species composition (Rule 4.15.8(5)). Woody plant density success values are specific to the parcel. • There is no requirement for woody stem establishment on the Corley property reclamation (per the request of The Corley Company). • On the Vento portion of the reclaimed portal area, woody stem establishment is considered successful when a minimum of 800 woody stems per acre have been established. • RDA reclamation (Vento property) is considered successful for woody stem establishment when the woody stem count equals or exceeds 250 woody stems per acre. • Woody plant establishment at the loadout will be considered successful if the reclaimed area exhibits equal to or greater than 6.3 woody stems per acre. PROTECTION OF THE HYDROLOGIC BALANCE In order to minimize any potential mining related impacts on existing hydrologic systems in permit and adjacent areas, EFCI has incorporated specific control and mitigation measures in mining and Southfield Mine C-1981-014 Page 7 of 12 August 22, 2016 SL -04