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Clayton Wein and Todd Jesse. Tony Tennyson represented ERMR,who is also the landowner of the <br /> parcels requested for this release. Andrew Monroy of the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and <br /> Enforcement(OSMRE)was also present for the inspection. <br /> II. CRITERIA AND SCHEDULE FOR BOND RELEASE <br /> PHASE I <br /> Rule 3.03.1(2)(a) states, "Up to sixty percent of the applicable bond amount shall be released when the <br /> permittee successfully completes backfilling, regrading, and drainage control in accordance with the <br /> approved reclamation plan." <br /> With regard to Phase I bond release, the approved reclamation plan for the New Horizon Mine calls for <br /> the area requested for release to be reclaimed to a combination of dryland pasture (77.9 acres), prime <br /> farmland(5.0 acres)and irrigated pasture(2.6 acres). The post mining topography approved for the New <br /> Horizon Mine (PAP Map 2.05.4-1). The reclamation is under the SL-27 bond release is split into two <br /> parcels bisected by the Johnson Access Road. To the west is the dryland pasture DP-21. This section of <br /> reclamation is approved to slope to the north/northeast. The eastern portion of reclamation includes <br /> dryland pastures DP-18 and DP-20, as well as, irrigated pasture IP-12 and prime farmland PF-1. The <br /> eastern portion of the requested acres for release slopes gently to the west/northwest. Technical Revision <br /> No. 108 revised the postmining topography for the New Horizon Mine in the location of this bond release. <br /> The change was approved due to the excess amount of Bench 1 material and topsoil available to use for <br /> this area. The material was placed in the drainages to create slopes that were gentler than what was in the <br /> original approved postmining topography. The gentle slopes reduce the amount of potential for erosion. <br /> Additionally this allowed ERMR to use all remaining Bench 1 and topsoil material stockpiles onsite to <br /> support the final closure of the mine. <br /> III. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS <br /> PHASE I <br /> The approved post mining topography for the New Horizon Mine can be viewed on Map 2.05.4-1 of <br /> the PAP. Submitted with the SL-27 application a map was provided showing two cross sections A- <br /> A' and B-B'. These transects were followed during the inspection to verify the accuracy of the <br /> information submitted in the bond release application. B-B' was traversed first. B-B' aligns north to <br /> south. B-B' is approved to gradually increase in elevation from B roughly to the middle of the <br /> transect and then decrease in elevation a little more significantly to B'. The land generally slopes to <br /> the west for the majority of the transect then shifts to slope north close to B'. While traversing B-B', <br /> the land gradually increased in elevation to the midpoint and then leveled off before decreasing in <br /> elevation to B'. The land sloped gently to the west until closer to B' and then the slope shifted to the <br /> north. The post mining topography on the ground closely matched that of what is approved on <br /> Map.2.05.4-1 in the PAP. The grade of the reclamation was consistent with no indications of <br /> differential settling. No erosional features were observed. The A-A' Transect traverses west at A to <br /> Permit Number G 1981-008 Page 6 of 12 <br />