Laserfiche WebLink
II. CRITERIA AND SCHEDULE FOR BOND RELEASE <br /> PHASE III <br /> Rule 3.03.1(2)(c) states that the final portion of performance bond, "shall be released when the permittee <br /> has successfully completed all surface coal mining reclamation operations in accordance with this <br /> approved 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." Rule <br /> 3.03.1(4) states, "No bond shall be fully released until all reclamation requirements of these Rules and <br /> the Act are fully met...". The same rule goes on to state, "No acreage shall be released from the permit <br /> area until all surface coal mining and reclamation operations on that acreage have been completed in <br /> accordance with the approved reclamation plan." <br /> The sites included in the SL-8 application were disturbed post-law and have been approved for a post- <br /> mining land use of"Undeveloped Land". Topsoil was salvaged at the time of disturbance and conserved <br /> in stockpiles and windrowed berms (along roads). The specific reclamation plan for the borehole pads <br /> and roads requires that: <br /> Topsoil and suitable soil material stockpiled and/or windrowed in berms on the perimeter of the <br /> disturbed areas will be redistributed at uniform thickness and reseeded in accordance with the <br /> revegetation plan presented in Exhibit 2.05 E6, Rvvegetation Plan. <br /> Herbaceous production (defined as current year above-ground biomass of herbaceous vegetation) of <br /> reclaimed areas will be successful when reclaimed area total herbaceous production is equal to or greater <br /> than 90 percent of the total herbaceous production of the approved extended reference area with 90 <br /> percent statistical confidence. <br /> Species composition and a demonstration of the adequacy of the seasonal nature and support of the post- <br /> mining land use of the reclaimed area vegetation will be successful when there are three or more perennial <br /> or biennial plant species of which two are graminoids and one is a perennial or biennial forb or shrub. No <br /> one component of the above three species should comprise greater than 60% relative cover nor less than <br /> 2%relative cover, during a given year's quantitative sampling. <br /> III. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS <br /> Vegetation on the sites included in Table 1 was sampled in June 2021, and again in June 2022. Cover <br /> and species composition were determined using the point-intercept method. Herbaceous production was <br /> estimated by harvesting a 0.5 m2 plot at the origin of each cover transect, with the material dried in air <br /> until the difference in weight between successive measurements varied by no more than 0.1 g. A <br /> minimum of 15 samples were taken for each sample set, and sample adequacy was demonstrated. <br /> The extended reference area was sampled immediately adjacent to the reclaimed area sample site. <br /> C-1981-022,SL-8 Page 6 of 10 <br />