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Sage Creek area, scrapers will open a pit of the Sage Creek coal seam and place the overburden over <br />the rough graded Wolf Creek spoils to the south. Once the Sage Creek seam is removed from the pit, • <br />the dragline will proceed to mine the deeper Wolf Creek seam. This sequence will continue until the <br />northern limit of the mining block is reached, whereby final reclamation activities will commence. <br />The highwall miner is currently scheduled to begin operating at the Yoast Mine in the spring of 2004 <br />and then proceeds to II-W in late spring/early summer of 2005. This scheduling depends on a number <br />of factors that rely on the actual operating conditions encountered. The mine plan and schedule is <br />based on the highwall miner penetrating 600 feet into the coal seams. The timing for moving to other <br />blocks could change at any time depending on pit and coal seam conditions. For instance: <br />- if the average highwall miner penetration distance is less or more than designed (600 feet <br />penetrationl, the timing will change accordingly; or, <br />- if the coal seam characteristics or pit conditions encountered are different than predicted and <br />won't allow coal recovery or conversely will allow additional coal recovery, the timing will <br />change accordingly. <br />It should be stressed that all mine progression and sequencing dates (scheduling) are for estimation <br />purposes only. The original dragline planning was developed to meet coal delivery contracts and could <br />fluctuate based on power plant demand, coal orders could increase or decrease on a monthly basis. <br />The introduction of the Highwall Miner to the operations adds another variable to the overall timing • <br />presented on Exhibits 12-3, 12-3a, and 12-3b. This current mine plan is based on meeting existing <br />coal delivery contracts. <br />Potential changes to the overall timing could be significant and could change the overall timing Iby year) <br />of the projected mine plan and ultimately the final reclamation schedule. <br />All mining is expected to be completed by 2008 when reclamation of all facilities will commence, <br />unless a bonafide request is made by the landowner to retain certain facilities and the Division approves <br />such a request. Such a request has been made for Sediment Pond #005, N006 (Tab 161, and a portion <br />of Haul Road G. SCC is also requesting the Mine Entrance Road, Haul Road A, remaining portion of <br />Haul Road G, a portion of Haul Roads K, H, and J, a postmine oil well access road, the Coal Carrier <br />Access Road, and the Ridge Line Access Road be retained after mining. Prior to the completion of <br />mining in 2008, and as required by Stipulation 32 to TR No. 42, SCC will submit a complete technical <br />revision demonstrating that all roads requested to be retained meet the requirements of 4.03.11111f), or <br />4.03.2111181, as applicable. These demonstrations will include the draft letter and signed forms <br />approved by the CDMG as part of Stipulation 32 in their December 22, 2003 letter regarding <br />outstanding concerns on TR-45. In addition, SCC will submit a complete technical revision <br />demonstrating that sediment ponds k005 and N006, or any other pond that may be requested in the • <br />future, meet the requirements of 4.05.9(13) for permanent impoundments. Exhibit 20-2 shows the <br />location of these postmining facilities, please refer to Tabs 13, 19, and 25 for further explanation. <br />TR-50 10 Revised 11104 <br />