Laserfiche WebLink
<br />adverse impact to the Colorado River system caused by increased salinity <br />levels. However, this impact appears to be small based on the amount of <br />discharge expected from the mining operation. <br />Roads <br />Following the requirements of the permanent program regulations, the company <br />plans to construct an additional 5 miles of class I roads (4 miles already <br />exist) for access and haulage through the permit area. Existing class I roads <br />will be modified to comply with the regulations. Energy Fuels does not plan <br />to construct additional class II roads (1.5 miles exist) but will relocate <br />class III roads as needed. <br />Roads will be surfaced to endure traffic and chemically stabilized and sprayed <br />with water as needed to control fugitive dust. The area disturbed by class I, <br />II, and III roads will be restored to original conditions by removing drainage <br />structures and shaping the area to blend with natural contours. <br />Temporary impacts will include disturbance caused by constructing new roads, <br />increased air-quality degradation, lose of wildlife that are unable to <br />migrate, and loss of wildlife habitat. These impacts are expected to be short <br />term, lasting during the life of the mine. <br />Coal Recovery <br />Approximately 31 million tons of coal will be removed from the permit area <br />during the proposed mining operation. The company is proposing that a portion <br />of the highwall be left open to facilitate future underground mining. This <br />action would leave approximately 200,000 tons of coal unrecovered from <br />surface-mining operations; however, this coal would be recovered when and if <br />underground mining begins. OSM understands the reasoning behind leaving the <br />highwall but has determined that this action would not comply with 30 CFR <br />816.100. Therefore, to bring the plan into compliance and to minimize adverse <br />impacts, OSM is stipulating that the company must submit a plan for <br />underground mining by December 31, 1980, or beckfill and grade the highwall <br />area by January 31, 1981. <br />Other stipulations require that no faulted blocks of coal may be left unmined <br />nor may coal seams or coal seam splits greater than 28 inches thick be spoiled <br />or left unmined without express written consent of the regulatory authority <br />and the USGS Area Mining Supervisor. Adherence to these stipulations will <br />minimize future environmental impacts by requiring maximum recovery of the <br />coal resource. (200,000 tons would remain until underground mining begins or <br />the area is backfilled and graded.) <br />Adverse impacts caused by leaving a portion of the highwall open include <br />visual effects and the potential loss of wildlife from falling off the wall. <br />However, these impacts are less significant than those that would be caused by <br />redisturbing the land for underground mining after it has been backfilled and <br />graded. <br />• <br />- 12 - <br />