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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Permit Number C1981028 Prepared by: R. Reilley, MS, GISP <br />SL9 6 <br /> <br />II. APPROVAL CRITERIA for BOND RELEASE <br /> <br />Under Colorado's Permanent Program, the process of releasing the reclamation bond for a mine site is <br />explained in Rule 3.03 and further described in the Division's 1995 Guideline Regarding Selected Coal <br />Mining Bond Release Issues. For Phase I bond release, Rule 3.03.1(2)(a) states: <br /> <br />"Up to sixty percent of the applicable bond amount shall be released when the permittee <br />successfully completes backfilling, regrading, and drainage control in accordance with the <br />approved reclamation plan." <br /> <br />Evaluation and inspection of the reclaimed areas was based on the specific requirements of the reclamation <br />plan and the functional requirements of the post-mining land use. Criteria for bond release included the <br />following based on the 1995 guidelines noted above: <br /> <br />1. Hillslope and drainage channel gradients and general design compliance; <br />2. Performance of the reconstructed topography. Symptoms of failure or instabilities such as slumping <br />or exposed highwalls were examined ; <br />3. Hillslope design/function with regard to erosion; <br />4. Swales and depressions with regard to numbers of features and effect on post-mining land use; <br />5. Blending of regraded land to undisturbed areas; <br />6. The functioning of drainages with regard to blending at disturbance boundaries and channel erosion; <br />7. Erosional features; and <br />8. Drainage control for the reclaimed area, including upslope diversions. <br /> <br />Equipment such as bulldozers and scrapers are used to backfill and grade areas. Regarding Phase I bond <br />release, the approved reclamation plan for the Keenesburg Mine calls for backfilling and grading mine <br />excavations and shaping the backfilled areas to the approximate configurations shown on the Reclamation <br />and Contour Drainage Plan Map submitted with the 2017 Annual Reclamation Report. Graded areas are to <br />blend into the surrounding adjacent areas. <br /> <br /> Photo 1: Overburden placement. <br /> <br />III. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS <br /> <br />The definitive bond release inspection was conducted on 14 September 2017, for the purpose of <br />evaluating the property proposed for achievement of approximate original contour and drainage control; <br />the criteria associated with phase I bond release. Present at the inspection were Danny Kipp with Coors