2021-04-14_PERMIT FILE - C1996084 (8)

Home Browse Search

Rule 2: Permits The post-operational land uses for most disturbed areas will be wnsistent with pre-mine land • uses. A change ofpost-mining land use has been requested by the surface owner for some of the disturbed areas: the Mine Office Area, Coal Loadout, and Haul and Access Roads that are servicing Coal Bed Methane (CBM) development and are located outside areas that have been actively mined. The surface owner has requested that these areas be reclassified as Industrial Use and are identified on Map 2.05.5-2 Post Mining Industrial Land Use. Reclamation and revegetation for these land uses are described in Section 2.05.4 Reclamation Plan of this Application. The disturbance associated with the surface mine will include the mine area and fill areas. No buildings or structures will be constructed to support the surface mine. The surface mine area will be reclaimed primarily as grassland with shrub plots interspersed throughout the area to support apost-mining land use of rangeland. The pre-mine vegetation communities are grassland and oak/pinyon pine used primarily for wildlife habitat and rangeland. The post- mining areas will have increased and improved rangeland and wildlife habitat for some wildlife species. Haul and access roads outside the area of active coal recovery will consist predominately of existing roads that will be modified to improve their width, grade, and provide safety berms along areas with potentially hazardous outslopes. Haul roads within areas of active mining will consist of new disturtlartce in areas with apre-mine land use of wildlife habitat and rangeland. Topsoil salvaged from mad constnlction will be stored in windrows adjacent to the roads or in a stockpile near the roads. After haul roads are no longer needed, safety berms will be removed and width and grades established to be supportive ofpost-mining industrial • use. Roads within the area of active mining will be maintained throughout final reclamation o and then reclaimed or converted to industrial use. Salvaged topsoil will be used either in mad reclamation or other areas of mine related disturbance with a deficiency of soil material. LCC currently leases all surface lands affected by the mine operations. Upon completion of final reclamation and revegetation, the land will be returned to landowners, lessees or renters. Access to the nvegetated area will be controlled in cooperation with the landowners to ensure that the post-rniniu-g land use is achieved when possible. Approval of the post-mining land uses by the land owner is contained in Exhibit 17. The reclamation of lands to the post-mining land uses is consistent with the surface owner's consent. The reclamation of the disturbed areas and affected areas and their return to pre- mising land uses, consistent and compatible with the state and local govemmertts' proposed land uses as described in the Las Animas County Land Use Plan Element to the County Master Plan, May 1994. TR 14 2.05-76 (Revised 3/9/06)