2017-01-10_REVISION - C1981008 (15)

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associated with the NE Haul Road (average 27 feet wide) would have been different than farmland adjoining it. It was determined by the Division that this situation would create an obstacle to the landowners managing their properties as integral units. The Division proposed that the NE Haul Road be instead permitted as a permanent feature giving vehicle access to farmers' properties which could then be released during the upcoming Phase III bond release application (SL -19) with the adjoining property as a support facility (Rule 1.04(71)). Ms. Turner informed the Division that this was an adequate solution. The NE Haul Road was permitted as a permanent feature in Technical Revision 75 (TR -75) which received final approval on December 27, 2016. SL -19 is currently being reviewed by the Division and awaiting the approval of SL -18. No requests for an informal conference regarding the bond release application were received by the Division. III. Criteria and Schedule for Bond Release PHASE I Rule 3.03.1(2)(a) states, "Up to sixty percent of the applicable bond amount shall be released when the permittee successfully completes backfilling, regrading, and drainage control in accordance with the approved reclamation plan." The reclaimed overburden stockpile (formerly "Mt. Nucla") is located southwest of the mine office/facilities area (see Map 1 for location of all structures described). The footprint of the pile is approximately 675' long and 350' wide. The reclaimed NE Haul Road started just north and west of the facilities area on the north side of 5t' Street and generally went north and turned west, parallel to the BB Road. The road was approximately 4,600' long and had an average width of 27'. Only 4,000' of the road is being requested for Phase I bond release. The reclaimed BB Road Detour started on the BB Road, due south of the CCC ditch headgate. The road went north to the headgate then followed the contour of the hillside west, above Tuttle Draw until it reached 2700 Road south of the Tuttle Draw Bridge. Two of the three reclaimed topsoil piles are located east of the former NE Haul Road. The pile on the Moore property had a foot print of approximately 80'x80'. The second pile, on the Goforth property, had a footprint approximately 50'x100'. The third topsoil stockpile was on the Benson east property in Tuttle Draw and had a foot print of approximately 50'x100'. IV. Observations and Findings The overburden stockpile southwest of the facilities area was removed and the material was used to backfill other parts of the mine. The footprint of the pile was shaped to blend in with the surrounding landscape and then topsoiled.