2019-04-16_REVISION - C1981019 (3)

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RULE 4 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Rule 4 Performance Standards 4-40 Revision Date: 4/16/19 Revision No.: MR-200 In 2013, approximately 0.96 acres within Colowyo’s permit boundary (outside the disturbance boundary) were affected by a small intensity wildland fire shown on Figure 4.12-2. The area that was affected was comprised of a mix of Gambel’s Oakbrush, Mountain Mahogany, and low density sagebrush. A small area of 2011 reclamation was disturbed by Colowyo personnel to create an access to the fire and to also create a fire line to control the fire from spreading. Colowyo promptly repair the access road through the reclamation and reseeded it with the approved seed mixture soon after extinguishing the fire. Tri-State Generation and Transmission Assoication, Inc. (Tri-State), owns and operates a 345 kV power line which is located within the permit boundary and is shown on Map 22. Tri-State is required to maintain proper phase to ground clearences under all their power lines, and will be conducting ground disturbances activites within their 150’ right-of-way, within the permit boundary, in two approximate locations as shown on Figure 4.12-3. The final loctions will be determined by Tri-State. These ground disturbing activites are not associated with the Colowyo Mine and will not be required to be permitted and bonded for in accordance with Rule 3.02.1(2). In February of 2016, the Colowyo Mine site experienced a very high wind event which snapped a power pole off at the base and left the power pole dangling from the line. Colowyo constructed an emergency road into the pole location (0.4 acres of disturbance) to access the location, stabilize the line, and replaced the broken pole. Topsoil was windrowed with a dozer down gradient of the road footprint to minimimze surface water flow from the area of disturbance to native areas. Once ground conditions allow access, the entire road footprint will have the topsoil re-spread on the area, and it will be seeded in accordance with the approved reclamation seed mixture. Please see Figure 4.12-4 for a location of the emergency road that was constructed to repair the power pole. In 2016, the Inactive Mine and Reclamation Program (IMR) began a drilling program to define the burn limits to abate an underground mine fire at the abandoned underground workings at the Axial Mine. The Axial Mine workings are shown on Map 22 and are labeled as the Red Wing Mine. The Axial Mine and Red Wing Mine shared common workings. The drilling project will create ground disturbance within the permit boundary to support the drilling program. These disturbances may include but are not limited to temporary roads, drill pads, and mud pits. The final locations to be disturbed will be determined by IMR. These ground disturbing activities are not associated with the Colowyo’s mining activities, and will not be required to be permitted nor bonded for in accordance with Rule 3.02.1(2). In 2016, approximately 4 acres within Colowyo’s permit boundary was affected by the moderate intensity wild land fire. The location of the fire is shown on Figure 4.12-5. The area that was burned is mostly comprised of Gambel’s Oakbrush and low density sagebrush. Additional surface disturbance within the permit boundary of approximately 1.4 acres was created to cut in a fire line to control and fight the fire. The relatively low intensity nature of the fire does not appear to warrant or require supplemental seeding; however, the area impacted by the fire line will be smoothed over and seeded with the approved reclamation seed mix. In the fall of 2016 and spring of 2017 White River Electric Assoication (WREA) installed and removed powerlines located within the Colowyo permit boundary. The powerlines that were serviced are located adjacent the Gossard Loadout facility (an overhead line will be buried) and Jubb Creek (new overhead line) north towards Moffat County Road 32. These powerlines that