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<br />Carol Pahlke <br />December 23, 1980 <br />Page 23 <br />Revised Pages and Revised Tables: Revised pages <br />816-112aaaa and 816-114aaaa, and revised Tables <br />57aa, 58aa, 59a, 69a, and 77a are attached hereto and <br />incorporated herein by reference. <br />2. Concerning the X73 Coalmont soil area in the southern por- <br />tion of Pit #1, the location of sampling sites does not appear <br />to represent the total range in soil depths that occur over <br />the entire area. The samples previously taken were all <br />located near the top of a ridge where soil is likely to be <br />thinner, and no samples were taken in the southeast portion of <br />the pit where the slope flattens out and where the soil is <br />likely to be deeper. To address this concern, Kerr Coal must <br />provide information which will accurately represent the total <br />range in soil depths for the area as a whole. <br />Response: Any area soil surveyed is examined for <br />parameters including slope, aspect, vegetation, <br />drainage ways, aerial photograph interpretation, <br />soil surface color and rock cover, and surrounding <br />geographical features. After analysis of these par- <br />ameters, potential sample site locations are <br />chosen. Sample sites are selected by walking across <br />the entire area surveyed and digging several prelim- <br />inary holes with a rile spade and/or hand auger. <br />Thereafter, taking all of the available information <br />into account, specific sample sites are chosen and <br />logged to be representative of the area surveyed. <br />This procedure was followed in the high intensity <br />soil survey conducted for the entire Kerr North <br />area. In many instances, it is found that soil <br />quality and quantity increase as one moves from the <br />top of a ridge downslope to a flatter area, and this <br />potential occurrence was taken into account when Pit <br />#1 was soil surveyed. However, contrary to what one <br />might have expected, when the flatter areas at the <br />southeast corner of Pit #1 were examined, greater <br />depths of topsoil and subsoil were not found. <br />Rather, when a preliminary pit was dug approximately <br />500' east of sample site 44 (shown on Map 25a) <br />adjacent to the lowest point in Pit #1, very shallow <br />soil was encountered. In addition, the clay content <br />of the soil at this location was extremely high. <br />Based upon the results of this preliminary pit, it <br />was determined that the soil at sample site 44 was <br />more representative. Consequently, the preliminary <br />site was not selected for intense study in favor of <br />sample site 44. <br />