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on adjacent non -mined areas." <br />The approved postmining land use for the land applicable to SL20 is rangeland/wildlife habitat and the <br />162.1 acre bond release block has been reclaimed as such. The revegetation plan is designed to achieve <br />the approved postmining land use. <br />After final backfilling and grading, topsoil is required to be placed on the spoil to a depth of 18 <br />inches on cropland and 12 inches on rangeland. A variation of +/- 2 inches is allowed due to <br />compaction and operational considerations as per TMI's permit (page 4-256). <br />There are three different revegetation success criteria for rangeland at the Trapper Mine to which the <br />reclaimed parcels are compared, as discussed in section III of this document, Observation and Findings: <br />range sites A, B and C. TMI utilizes a technical standard for demonstrating revegetation success for <br />vegetative cover on reclaimed parcels. TMI has identified a specific percent effective cover standards for <br />each range site category. The standards were calculated using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (LISLE), <br />and designed such that soil loss due to rill and sheet erosion will not exceed pre -mine levels. Details <br />regarding revegetation success standards at the Trapper mine can be found in section 4.4.1 of Trapper's <br />permit. <br />All lands requested in the current Phase III bond release application, SL20, have received Phase II <br />bond release as per Table 2, above. <br />SEDCAD evaluation of sediment production and yield was approved with Phase II bond release of the <br />SL20 parcels. These demonstrations showed reclamation conditions will yield equivalent or lesser <br />sediment contributions to runoff compared to pre -mining levels. <br />Phase III Bond Release <br />The Division's Guideline Regarding Selected Coal Mine Bond Release Issues dated April 18, 1995 <br />outlines what the Division may use to evaluate reclaimed lands proposed for Phase III bond release. <br />In summary, the Division may evaluate the following: <br />Rule 3.03.1(2)(c) states that: <br />the final portion of performance bond, "shall be released when the permittee has successfully <br />completed all surface coal mining reclamation operations in accordance with this approved <br />reclamation plan, and the final inspection procedures of 3.03.2 have been satisfied. This shall not <br />be before the expiration of the period specified for revegetation responsibility in 3.02.3." <br />Rule 3.03.1(4) states: <br />"No bond shall be fully released until all reclamation requirements of these Rules and the Act <br />are fully met...". and goes on to state that: <br />"No acreage shall be released from the permit area until all surface coal mining and reclamation <br />operations on that acreage have been completed in accordance with the approved reclamation plan." <br />Trapper Mining, Inc. provided in the S L 2 0 application documentation of the seed mixtures planted <br />for each parcel. Seed mixes used were in accordance with the approved reclamation plan. All <br />lands requested in the current Phase III Bond release application (SL20) have been approved for <br />Permit Number C1981010 <br />SL20 Page 7 of 17 <br />