Laserfiche WebLink
•~ ~~ <br />-2- <br />resources, sound economic practice, and the protection of the environment." <br />The applicant has not demonstrated that 'future environmental disturbance <br />through the resumption of mining' mould be less if the highvall is left as <br />compared to re-excavatlan or access at alternative location or by alternative <br />means. Nor has the applicant demonstrated that underground extraction is <br />'sound economic practice." <br />OSH, however, recognizes that mine planning involves phasing of major projects <br />within large-scale time frames and, therefore, that a discussion of the timing <br />of this situation is appropriate. It seems that the alternatives, is <br />simplified perspective, are far the applicant to backfill and grade the <br />highvall in contemporaneous renlamation or to have the highvall retention <br />allowed as part of an approved mining plan. Through simple, yet reasonable <br />..'.and prudent. analysis of the Energy Hines No. 1 and 2 Mine.plan, it can be <br />inferred that contemporaneous rough grading of a given cut takes place <br />immediately following the second subsequent pass. It seems that the unmiaed <br />area immediately to the NR of the subject highvall forms a two-cut vide by <br />2000-foot long discontinuity in the ultimate mine limit. Zf this subject <br />highvall were not to be left, it is reasonable to infer that this <br />discontinuity would be mined. Further analysis indicates that the time to <br />mine this tw-cut discontinuity would be approximately 6 months. Therefore, <br />if the subject highvall were not to be left, but were to be mined, the <br />specific area in question vou]d be rough graded after this 6-month period. <br />The applicant is expected to finish all other work with the 8040 dragline by <br />the end of !larch, 1980. If the discontinuity were then to be mined, the <br />subject area would be rough graded by the end of September, 1980. This <br />defines the time frame of contemporaneous reclamation. It is, then, the <br />conclusion of OSH that by the,end of December, 1980, either this highvall must <br />be eliminated or the retention of the highvall allowed as part of a complete <br />plan. <br />Sy December 3I, 1980 the applicant shall have submitted a plan for a proposed <br />underground operation that the Regulatory Authority has determined to be <br />complete, or backfilling of the highvall shall commence immediately and be <br />completed by January 31, #981. <br /> <br /> <br />