2025-06-30_PERMIT FILE - C1981019A (3)

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RULE 4 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Rule 4 Performance Standards 4-31 Revision Date: 4/9/25 Revision No.: MR-261 the mine access road on the North side of the road. This line provides power to the Gossard Loadout Area and associated facilities in the Axial Basin. In 2012, approximately 5 acres within Colowyo’s permit boundary was affected by the moderate intensity fire as shown on Figure 4.12-1. The area is comprised of a mix of wheatgrass and low density sagebrush. Additional surface disturbances within the permit boundary were created as a result of the necessity to facilitate replacement of the broken power pole, re-hanging of the lines, and access corridors on the Western and Eastern side of the fire for construction of the fire lines. Approximately 26 additional acres burned outside of Colowyo’s permit boundary on Colowyo private property, primarily in low density sagebrush rangeland. A few acres of inactive wheat fields were also burned comprised mostly of volunteer winter wheat. The relatively low intensity nature of the fire does not appear to warrant or require supplemental seeding within the permit boundary, however the areas impacted by the fire line and power pole repair access will be smoothed over as soon as possible and broadcast seeded with the approved sagebrush steppe reclamation seed mix as fall approaches. In 2013, approximately 0.96 acres within Colowyo’s permit boundary (outside the disturbance boundary) were affected by a small intensity wildland fire shown on Figure 4.12-2. The area that was affected was comprised of a mix of Gambel’s Oakbrush, Mountain Mahogany, and low density sagebrush. A small area of 2011 reclamation was disturbed by Colowyo personnel to create an access to the fire and to also create a fire line to control the fire from spreading. Colowyo promptly repair the access road through the reclamation and reseeded it with the approved seed mixture soon after extinguishing the fire. Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State), owns and operates a 345 kV power line which is located within the permit boundary and is shown on Maps 21, 22, and 22A. Tri-State requires access to maintain their power line, and will at their discretion improve existing ranch roads and/or construct new roads to access their power line within the permit boundary. Any ground disturbing activities associated with Tri-State’s 345 kV line are outside of Colowyo’s permitted disturbance boundary, and are not related to Colowyo’s mining activities. Therefore, these activities are not required to be permitted and bonded for in accordance with Rule 3.02.1(2). In February of 2016, the Colowyo Mine site experienced a very high wind event which snapped a power pole off at the base and left the power pole dangling from the line. Colowyo constructed an emergency road into the pole location (0.4 acres of disturbance) to access the location, stabilize the line, and replaced the broken pole. Topsoil was windrowed with a dozer down gradient of the road footprint to minimize surface water flow from the area of disturbance to native areas. Once ground conditions allow access, the entire road footprint will have the topsoil re-spread on the area, and it will be seeded in accordance with the approved reclamation seed mixture. Please see Figure 4.12-4 for a location of the emergency road that was constructed to repair the power pole. In 2016, approximately 4 acres within Colowyo’s permit boundary was affected by the moderate intensity wild land fire. The location of the fire is shown on Figure 4.12-5. The area that was burned is mostly comprised of Gambel’s Oakbrush and low density sagebrush. Additional surface disturbance within the permit boundary of approximately 1.4 acres was created to cut in a fire line to control and fight the fire. The relatively low intensity nature of the fire does not appear to