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<br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance July 2018 <br />Permit Renewal No. 7 P a g e | 45 <br />XI. Contemporaneous Reclamation - Rule 4.13 <br /> <br />The Permit is in compliance with Rule 4.13. Reclamation occurs as contemporaneously as <br />practicable with mining operations, as further discussed in Section XII below. <br />XII. Backfilling and Grading - Rule 4.14 <br /> <br />The Permit is in compliance with Rule 4.14. <br />A. Operations and Reclamation Plans <br /> <br />Colowyo's operations plan is found in Section 2.05.3 of the PAP (Volume 1 for the East Pit, West <br />Pit, Section 16 Pit, Facilities Area and Gossard Loadout; Volume 12 for South Taylor Pit; Volume <br />15 for Collom Pit). Maps 23, 23A, and 23B of the PAP contain the mine plan. Section 2.05.4 of <br />the PAP contains the reclamation plan, and Section 4.14 contains the performance standards for <br />backfilling and grading. <br /> <br />During the approval process of Permit Revision No. 2, the Division added Stipulation 2 regarding <br />the Lower Wilson mining area to the operations and reclamation plan at the Mine. <br />B. Contemporaneous Reclamation <br /> <br />Section 4.13 of the PAP contains information on contemporaneous reclamation for Colowyo's <br />multi-seam operations, with additional information found in Sections 2.05.4 and 4.14. Backfilling <br />and grading cannot begin with multi-seam operations until the lowest seams are mined. Therefore, <br />backfilling and grading cannot be completed within 180 days of the removal of the uppermost coal <br />seams. Also, the number of spoil ridges may exceed four at multi-seam operations. In addition, <br />variances from contemporaneous reclamation have been granted to accommodate high-wall <br />mining operations. <br /> <br />Based on the nature of the South Taylor Pit and Collom Pit, which are also a multi-seam operation, <br />backfilling and grading cannot be completed within 180 days of the removal of the uppermost coal <br />seam and the number of spoil ridges may exceed four. The Division has granted Colowyo a <br />variance for contemporaneous reclamation for the South Taylor and Collom Pit. <br /> <br />Reclamation activities in the West and South Taylor Pits will be ongoing during the current permit <br />term. The East Pit has been fully backfilled and regraded and will received maintenance on an as- <br />needed-basis. Mining at the Collom Pit has not yet commenced and reclamation has not been <br />necessary. The reclamation schedule for the West, South Taylor and Collom Pit are shown on <br />Maps 29, 29A, and 29B of the PAP. <br />C. Approximate Original Contour <br /> <br />Information on achieving approximate original contour (AOC) is presented in Sections 2.05.3,