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permittee successfully completes backfilling, regrading, and drainage control in accordance with the <br /> approved reclamation plan." With regard to Phase I bond release, the approved reclamation plan for the <br /> New Horizon North Mine calls for the post mining topography to be similar to the pre-mining topography. <br /> Two primary drainages pass through the permit area but neither drainage was disturbed by the New <br /> Horizon North mining activity. <br /> III. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS <br /> PHASE I <br /> The initial box-cut pit was started in 2013. Bench 1 material and overburden were stacked in separate <br /> piles in the approved location on the southwest part of the mine, north of pond 1. The east and west ends <br /> of the pit area started to be backfilled in the fall of 2016 while the center area of the pit was still being <br /> mined. Mining was completed in the spring of 2017 and backfilling began immediately. The pit was <br /> backfilled with overburden, and graded to blend in with the surrounding landscape and ripped. Bench 1 <br /> material was then place on top of the overburden, graded and ripped. <br /> The CCC Ditch pipe was installed in the bench 1 material. The pipe is a buried 24"HDPE pipe that starts <br /> on the east side of the permit area at the 2650 Road and goes across the mined area to the 2600 Road on <br /> the west side of the permit area. A service pipe was then installed to connect the irrigation pivot to the <br /> ditch pipe. The service pipe is a buried 10" HDPE pipe connected to the 24" ditch pipe at the western <br /> permit boundary and it runs east to the center of the mined area. Map 3 of the SL2 application identifies <br /> the location of the CCC Ditch pipe and the irrigation pivot service pipe. Topsoil was spread on top of the <br /> bench 1 material and the irrigation pivot towers were then installed. The Garvey's(landowners)tested the <br /> irrigation pivot in the fall of 2018, and determined that it operated as designed. <br /> The general topography of the reclaimed area is flat. The land gently slopes from the northeast to the <br /> southwest with an elevation change of 70 feet over V2 mile, or a 2% slope. No drainages were established <br /> in the main pit area to accommodate the irrigation pivot. The topography of the reclaimed area is <br /> consistent with the approved post mining plan shown on Map 2.05.4-1 of the permit. <br /> The eastern section of the Pond 2 North ditch was backfilled and graded in early 2017. Approximately <br /> 2,200 feet of the ditch was reclaimed from the eastern permit boundary to the Pond 2 topsoil stockpile. <br /> Drainage channels were reestablished to blend in with the surrounding landscape and topsoil was spread <br /> on the area. Sediment control wattles were installed and are being maintained in the drainage channels. <br /> During the inspection it was noted that all highwalls have been removed, coal waste from the stockpile <br /> footprint was removed and buried in the pit, and most of the gravel from the facilities area was removed <br /> and buried in the pit. Some gravel was left in place next to the south entrance for storage of mining <br /> equipment that is in the process of being removed. The area where the gravel remains was not requested <br /> for bond release in the SL-2 application. <br /> The center of the mined area has been cleared of all stockpiles and structures to allow for the operation of <br /> the irrigation pivot. Several overburden and topsoil stockpiles were moved to the perimeter of the permit <br /> area. The location of the stockpiles and how they will be distributed is detailed on Map 2.05.4(2)(d)-2 of <br /> Permit Number C-2010-089 Page 4 of 6 <br />