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RULE 2 PERMITS <br /> <br />Rule 2 Permits 2.05-18 Revision Date: 8/6/25 <br /> Revision No.: PR-05 <br />backfilling of the spoil material is as contemporaneous as possible behind the mined-out area to <br />facilitate proper leveling of the overburden material. <br /> <br />The backfilled mining areas are graded to establish the approximate original contour and to blend <br />in with the undisturbed areas outside the mining limits. Additional information on the backfilling <br />and regrading plan are discussed further in Section 2.05.3 and Section 4.14. <br /> <br />Final grading before topsoil placement will be conducted in a manner that minimizes erosion and <br />provides a surface for the topsoil that minimizes slippage. If spoil compaction is a problem, the <br />spoil will be ripped with a dozer to minimize compaction, assure stability, and minimize slippage <br />after topsoil replacement. Where possible, development of concave landforms (to encourage snow <br />entrapment) will be developed. <br /> <br />Where necessary, the overburden surface will be roughened by ripping or discing etc., to ensure a <br />bond between the topsoil and spoil to reduce slippage. To date there is no evidence of topsoil <br />slippage on reclaimed areas. A few small tension cracks resulting from settling of fill along tie in <br />locations with highwall have occurred in a few areas. However these areas within a year or two <br />after reclamation, soon stabilize and begin to fill in. <br /> <br />The final post mine surfaces are shown on Map 19, 19A, and 19B. Appropriate cross sections <br />that show the anticipated final surface configuration of the reclaimed area, in conjunction with the <br />existing pre-mining topography are shown Maps 20, 20A and 20B. <br /> <br />Topsoil Redistribution Plan <br /> <br />As discussed in Section 2.05.3, prior to any mining-related disturbances, all available topsoil will <br />be removed from the site to be disturbed, and will be redistributed or stockpiled as necessary to <br />satisfy the needs of the reclamation timetable described herein. The topsoil redistrubtion plan is <br />also broken into three distinct timeframes which are pre-2005, 2005 to 2009, and post-2010. Each <br />plan is described in more detail below. <br /> <br />Pre-2005 and 2005-2009 Topsoil Redistribution Plan <br />Prior to 2005, essentially all reclamation units were covered with an average of 18 inches of <br />topsoil. From 2005 through 2009, reclamation areas received an approximate average of 8 inches <br />of topsoil. Most of these reclamation areas have been Phase III released to date, and the remaining <br />units on schedule for a near future Phase III bond release application. <br /> <br />Post-2010 Topsoil Redistribution Plan <br />Variable topsoil replacement depth has been utilized at Colowyo since 2010. Post-2010 topsoil <br />replacement is directly tied to the post mine land uses presented in Section 2.05.5, targeting two <br />rangeland components consisting of grazingland and wildlife habitiat (sagebrush steppe). <br /> <br />In grazingland targeted areas (areas with slopes greater than 10%), topsoil will be redistributed <br />utilizing variable replacement depths. Thinner topsoil (approximately six inches) will be replaced <br />on ridge tops, and topsoil replacement depth will gradually thicken moving down the slopes toward <br />the drainage bottoms. This gradation in topsoil depth on slopes recreates native edaphic conditions