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RULE 2 PERMITS <br />the investigation indicate that all of the area potentially disturbed by surface operations or facilities <br />associated with these areas can be excluded as prime or important farmland, since the land has not <br />historically been used as cropland. Colowyo requested a prime farmland determination for the permit <br />revision area from the U.S Department of Agriculture — Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) <br />in 2002. The NRCS responded to the request in a letter dated October 9, 2002 which indicated that no <br />areas of prime farmland are present in the expansion area. A copy of the letter is presented in Exhibit 9, <br />Item 4 of the existing permit document. Based also on soil survey information, no soil surveys <br />encountered within the disturbed area associated with the areas of impact of the permit revision area have <br />been designated as soil map units classified as prime or important farmland. Based upon the information <br />presented in this section, Colowyo recommends a negative determination for prime farmland within the <br />permit boundary. <br />2.04.13 Annual Reclamation Report <br />Please see Section 2.04.13 in Volume 1. <br />2.05 OPERATION AND RECLAMATION PLANS <br />2.05.1 Objectives <br />The planned operations and reclamation will be similar to those presented in Volume 1, Section 2.05. <br />Operational changes and information specific to the South Taylor pit are described in the following <br />sections of this permit revision application. <br />2.05.2 Operation Plan - Estimated Area for Life of Operation <br />Information regarding the permit term is delineated in Section 2.01.5. Information for the operation plan <br />is delineated in Section 2.05.3. Likewise, for purposes of this application, the permit area identifies the <br />area for the life of the mine. <br />Colowyo will employ detailed and current engineering designs for all surface mining activities in order to <br />maximize coal recovery. The open pit mining technique minimizes or eliminates coal rib losses and coal <br />fenders. The mining operations described in Section 2.05.3 are designed for maximum coal recovery. <br />2.05.3(l) Operation Plan —Production Methods <br />Colowyo has selected its mining procedures on the basis of information from numerous exploration drill <br />holes which penetrated the overburden, the interburden, and the coal seams. Each phase of mining has <br />been carefully scheduled so that all equipment can be operated in situations suitable to their design <br />capabilities. The overall operation plan is designed to flow logically from topsoil removal through <br />reclamation. The plan is designed to maximize coal recovery and minimize environmental disturbances. <br />Colowyo's operation plan is described in detail within Volume 1, Section 2.05.3. <br />Topsoil removal schedules and stockpile locations are delineated on the Topsoil Handling Map, (Map <br />28B). The amounts of topsoil to be replaced is found in Volume 1 on Table 2.05-1. Topsoil will be <br />removed from an area primarily during the summer and fall months to allow for one year of mining <br />advance. A buffer zone, with topsoil removed, will be left between the undisturbed area and the crest of <br />the pit. <br />South Tavlor/Lower Wilson — Rule 2. Pal -e 67 Revision Date: 4/7/17 <br />Revision No.: RN -07 <br />