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area in excess of premining levels as determined by baseline data or in excess of levels <br /> determined on adjacent non-mined areas." <br /> The approved post mining land use for the land applicable to SL23 is rangeland/wildlife habitat and the <br /> 265.5 acre bond release block has been reclaimed as such. The revegetation plan is designed to <br /> achieve the approved post mining 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 <br /> for each range site category. The standards were calculated using the Universal Soil Loss Equation <br /> (LISLE), and designed such that soil loss due to rill and sheet erosion will not exceed pre-mine levels. <br /> Details regarding revegetation success standards at the Trapper mine can be found in section 4.4.1 of <br /> Trapper's permit. <br /> All lands requested in the current Phase III bond release application, SL23,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 /> SL23 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, <br /> 1995 outlines what the Division may use to evaluate reclaimed lands proposed for Phase III bond <br /> release. 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 <br /> not 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 <br /> plan." <br /> Trapper Mining, Inc. provided in the SL23 application documentation of the seed mixtures planted <br /> Permit Number. C1981010 Page 8 of 16 <br />