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24. The Reclamation Plan states (E-2) 14 acres of pre-law disturbance have been graded, <br /> topsoiled and seeded. Please specify the depth to which fines were replaced over the 14 <br /> acres of pre-law disturbance. <br /> Fines have been placed to an average depth of 4.5 inches. <br /> 25. According to the Reclamation Plan, wetland vegetation will be planted on 1.38 acres. Under <br /> Amendment No. 5 (AM05), the Operator committed to planting 6.6 acres of wetland <br /> vegetation. In addition, the number of wetland species to be planted has been reduced from <br /> what was proposed under AM05, including the elimination of willows from the wetland seed <br /> mix. Please explain why the size of the area to be planted with wetland vegetation has been <br /> reduced and provide a technical justification for eliminating willows from the wetland seed <br /> mix. <br /> Wetland vegetation will be planted and/or is maintained across a total of 4.6 acres within the <br /> permit area. This 4.6 acre area includes the previously established 3.5 acre wetland area <br /> north of the active mining operation, labeled as `wetlands' on Map F-1, as well as a 20 foot <br /> buffer of wetlands around each of the two ponds remaining during reclamation totaling in <br /> 1.1 acres of new wetland vegetation. Willows are now included in the plan for the 1.1 acres <br /> of new revegetation efforts at a rate of 50 plants/acre. <br /> Total wetland acreage is decreased from AM-5 due to the change in pond reclamation status <br /> and number. The table shown under comment 35 of this Adequacy Response 1 details that <br /> only two ponds will remain in reclamation while any other on site ponds will be backfilled <br /> for reclamation. As no wetlands are currently planted on these areas, the actual current 2018 <br /> on site acreage of wetlands will remain unchanged. No new wetlands are required to be <br /> planted as part of the current ponds reclamation, excluding the two ponds to remain in <br /> reclamation. Please see Map F-1 for clarification. <br /> 26. The rangeland seed mix has been modified to eliminate 6 grass species from what was <br /> approved under Amendment No. 5. The Operator stated it has been difficult to establish <br /> vegetation on reclaimed areas. Have any portions of the mine site been reclaimed using the <br /> reclamation methods approved under Technical Revision No. 12?Please provide a technical <br /> justification reducing the number ofgrass species to be included in the rangeland seed mix. <br /> The rangeland seed mix is modified to reflect the species and rates approved under AM-5. <br /> As of March 2018, no portions of the mine are in reclamation using the methods detailed in <br /> TR-12. <br /> 27. Map C-2 depicts the Old Willets Ponds adjacent to the storage building. However, the Old <br /> Willets Ponds are not depicted on the Map F-1. Please clarify if the Old Willets Ponds will <br /> be reclaimed. If the ponds will be eliminated, then update Map F-I to account for this <br /> reclamation task. If the ponds will not be eliminated, then revise Map F-1 to show the ponds <br /> will remain following reclamation. Please see additional comments under Items No. 28 and <br /> 29. <br /> The Old Willets Ponds will be reclaimed; see Map F-1. <br />