Laserfiche WebLink
highwall locations and various Wolf Creek/Sage Creek pit locations of the South Extension Area, <br />but the plans were not implemented and were withdrawn by PR -5. <br />The permit application provides detailed information on mining and reclamation operations, <br />transportation routes, and hydrologic controls for the mine. Coal mined was owned by private <br />interest and the Federal government, under lease to Seneca Coal Company. Surface ownership <br />includes federal lands managed by the BLM, and a variety of private leases, subleases and <br />easements. <br />The total permitted area is approximately 3,878.5 acres. The maximum proposed disturbed area <br />is 1334.5 acres. The disturbed area includes the mine pit area, surface support facilities, haul roads <br />and drainage control facilities. In addition to the primary disturbance areas described, various <br />exhibits and text refer to a number of "minimal disturbance" areas, totaling approximately 56 acres. <br />These areas are primarily located along ephemeral drainages between primary disturbance areas <br />and sedimentation ponds, and could potentially be impacted by sediment deposition or erosion, <br />and associated maintenance activity. <br />Coal extraction operations began at Seneca II -W in 1990, and continued until January 2006, when <br />coal production at Seneca II -W ceased. Over the life of the mine, total coal production was <br />12,069,059 tons. Annual production ranged from a low of 376,700 tons to a maximum 990,300 <br />tons. <br />During the period of active mining operations, reclamation was conducted concurrently with <br />mining, with the exception of approved variance areas where backfilling was delayed to <br />accommodate proposed auger mining, highwall mining, or other site specific considerations. Due <br />to the nature of the mining plan and the operational history, the application contains a request for <br />a variance from the contemporaneous reclamation requirements of Rule 4.14. This request is <br />discussed further in Section VII of this document. The generalized reclamation sequence that was <br />followed during active operations is described in the following paragraph. <br />Topsoil was removed and stockpiled or, when possible, live -handled. Following topsoil removal, <br />the overburden was blasted. Using the dragline, initial box cut spoil was placed onto previously <br />stripped but unmined ground creating a temporary overburden stockpile, with each successive cut <br />going into the previous pit after coal was removed. The resulting spoils were graded to <br />approximate original contour, topsoiled and seeded. Permanent post -mine drainage channels were <br />constructed in accordance with approved design specifications. Within scattered designated <br />locations, areas of one to two acres in size received concentrated planting and seeding of native <br />shrubs and seeding of native forbs. Several of the designated areas were also planted with aspen <br />saplings. Grasses were not seeded within these locations, in order to minimize competition <br />between the relatively quick developing and competitive grasses and the slower growing woody <br />plants. A number of the concentrated tree/shrub areas were fenced to protect woody plantings <br />from excessive browsing by large ungulates. The revegetation plan associated with PR -3 included <br />a commitment and detailed design plans for an aspen reestablishment study, to evaluate the <br />feasibility of transplanting native aspen saplings with variable soil treatments and irrigation <br />application rates. Results of the study have been incorporated into the permit application package, <br />as Appendix 22-3 to Tab 22, Revegetation Plan. <br />xii <br />