2023-01-05_REVISION - C1981019 (13)

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Haul Road A. The Collom Haul Road is in the process of construction and runs from the Gossard Loadout to the Collom Facility area. At the request of Moffat County, an elevated roadway crossing is being installed where the Collom Haul Road crosses Moffat County Road 51. Upon completion of the elevated crossing, County Road 51 will allow public traffic to cross over the top of the Collom Haul Road. All three haul roads meet the design and construction requirements of the haul road regulations. For Haul Road B, the reclamation plan calls for the removal of the pavement, reduction of the road width to 12 feet, reduction of side slopes to 4:1, and revegetation of the side slopes (PAP, Section 2.05). Haul Road A and the Collom Haul Road are to be removed and reclaimed upon completion of mining and reclamation activities. The Sturgeon Road, from Colorado Highway 13 to the Section 28 Pond, is designated as an access road. Access roads have also been constructed in order to obtain access to the Section 25, Section 36 and Middle Pond associated with the Collom Pit and facilities. These roads have been designed and constructed in accordance with Rule 4.03.2. The roads are surfaced with gravel and best management practices have been implemented to control surface runoff. Light use roads, some of which were pre-mining trails, are used infrequently to monitor sedimentation ponds or other facilities. These roads meet the design requirements of the Rules. Some light use roads will be retained following reclamation as "ranch roads" to approximate roads that were in the area before mining (PAP, Section 2.05.6). As presented in Rule 1.04(111), the definition of "road" does not include roadways within the immediate mining pit area. This includes the haul roads in pits. Topsoil Removal Topsoil is removed using dozers, excavators or front-end loaders, and haul trucks or scrapers. Generally, a dozer is used to push the topsoil off of the slope and into a drainage bottom or other flatter area. The topsoil is then loaded into haul trucks using an excavator. Stripped topsoil is hauled directly to graded spoil areas on the trailing edge of the pits or to topsoil storage piles for later distribution during reclamation. Topsoil from the East Pit and West Pit mining areas have been stored in several topsoil stockpiles as shown on Map 28 of the PAP. Topsoil from the South Taylor mining area is also being stored in topsoil stockpiles as shown on Map 28B of the PAP with Collom Topsoil shown on Map 28C of the PAP. Blasting Blasting operations are utilized to fracture overburden and interburden in the pits. The rubble overburden from the top in the edges of the West Pit was removed by truckandshovel operations. This material was hauled around the active pit and dumped into the active pits on the trailing side. Cast blasting with explosives and back casting with draglines are utilized for the removal of rubble overburden above the lower seams, and was used in the East Pit and Section 16 Pit. Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance January 5,2023 Permit Renewal No. 8 Page 124