2020-08-20_PERMIT FILE - C1980007A

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• 2.05.4 Reclamation Plan Statement of Purpose and Pre Mining Land Use The goal of Mountain Coal Company's reclamation plan is to return disturbed land at the West Elk Mine site to a productive and useful status. It is recognized that many alternatives exist for restoring the disturbed acreage. Some of these potential uses include rangeland, hayland or pasture, forestland, wildlife habitat, recreation lands or residential, and light industrial use. Mountain Coal Company proposes to return all disturbed lands to rangeland and wildlife habitat land uses. These uses will be consistent with the present surrounding uses. Information presented in Section 2.04.3 describes the pre -mining land uses in detail. Reclamation activities will establish a permanent vegetative cover of the same seasonal variety native to the area and capable of self -regeneration and plan succession equal in extent and cover to the natural vegetation in the area. Any introduced species will be compatible with the plant and animal species of the region. Rehabilitation of the disturbed surface areas will be accomplished in increments as suitable areas for reclamation become available. The facilities area will be returned to the approximate original contour and the reclaimed land will have a minimum stability factor of safety of 1.3. Surfaces will be dressed with previously stockpiled seedbed topsoil and planted with a variety of plant species. . Planting will occur during the first normal period for favorable planting conditions after final preparation of the reclaimed surface. Bear Coal Company Reclamation The Bear Coal Company is responsible for reclaiming its surface disturbances as stated in their permit. However, there are three areas of the Bear Mine area that Mountain Coal Company will disturb and will be responsible for reclaiming. They are the proposed Freshwater Pond No. 2, the 44 KV power line outside of the Delta -Montrose Electric Association corridor, and the spoil stockpile area described in Exhibit 47. These areas have or will be reclaimed by Mountain Coal Company according to Bear Coal Company's reclamation plan in Exhibit 64, except that MCC's approved seed mixtures shall be utilized. Reclamation Methodology Topsoil Salvage Mountain Coal Company recognizes the importance of topsoil to plant and animal life of the area. For this reason, all useable topsoil has been and will continue to be salvaged and stockpiled for later use to cover reclaimed surfaces. To evaluate the soils present before activity began, a survey of the existing soils within the West Elk Mine site was conducted. Interpretations of the soil survey indicated that the existing soil types were suitable for use as seedbed quality material. A listing of 0 the soil mapping units, their suitability for use as seedbed quality material, and pertinent 1.05-50 Revised Jan. 1996 RN03;