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<br />ally requires the use of a large stockpile to store upper mater- <br />ial while the lower "bench" is established so material from the <br />upper lifts can be backfilled onto it. Since the applicant is <br />proposing to use initial Pit 2 cut material to backfill Pit 1, <br />there will be no need for a stockpile and the excavation method <br />should be fairly easy to establish. Once the proposed method is <br />established it can, with proper planning of the initial cut, be <br />maintained without much problem. <br />Approximately 135,000 to 145,000 tons of coal will be re- <br />moved from Phase V of Pit 1 during 1981 (Table 1 on page 51, and <br />Table 2, assuming 5.5 CY overburden per ton of coal, of Addendum <br />II, of the permit applicaiton). Pit 1 will be backfilled using <br />the existing overburden stockpile and approximately 508,000 bank <br />cubic yards (BCY) from the initial pit (Phase VI) of Pit 2. <br />Based on a comparison of Exhibit 4, a U.S.G.S. topoyraphic map <br />enlarged to 1 inch = 1000 feet, and Figure 2-A, a one-inch = 200 <br />feet topographic map in Addendum II, the center portion of Pit 1 <br />will not be returned to its approximate original contours. The <br />headwaters of the small ephemeral drainage which existed in the <br />premining area will be extended to the south. This extension of <br />the drainage will cause the postmining landslopes to be increased <br />from the premining slope of seven percent to almost 14 percent <br />and will slightly increase the area draining to this ephemeral <br />stream. <br />Both of these conditions, increased drainage area and in- <br />creased landslope, should be acceptable. The increase in drain- <br />age area does not appear to be significant enough to increase the <br />flow 'in the ephemeral stream to the point where increased erosion <br />of the stream will occur below the mine. The postmining slopes <br />of 14 per cent, although steeper than premining, are not steep <br />enough to significantly increase erosion or decrease the success <br />of revegetation (see Backfilling and Grading Section of Chapter <br />III of this TEA). The proposed reclaimed contours for Pit 1 <br />(Figure 2A of Addendum II of the permit application) are accep- <br />-34- <br />