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1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />- -- -~ <br />Greystone Environmental Consultants, Inc. (Greystone) has preformed a soil loss analysis on the four <br />Lone Pine Small Area Exemptions (SAES) located at the West Elk Mine (Permit # C-80-007) per the <br />request of the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (CDMG). The purpose of this analysis is to <br />demonstrate sediment generated from a 10-year, 24-hour storm event from the Lone Pine SAES is equal <br />to or less than sediment generated from the adjacent undisturbed slopes. This evaluation has <br />demonstrated that erosion control structures protecting the reclaimed areas can be safely removed. <br />1.1 METHOD OF ANALYSIS <br />This review and analysis is made using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUBLE), developed <br />by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service. The RUBLE <br />method for determining soil loss is the recommended method of the U.S. Department of the Interior, <br />Office of Surface Mining. This analysis is based on field information provided by Henry Barbe, <br />Environmental Coordinator, Mountain Coal Company; field data collected by Charles Florian, Staff <br />Ecologist, Greystone; and other sources as referenced herein. <br />1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION <br />The project consists of four reclaimed SAES located in the Lone Pine area of West Elk Mine; the portal, <br />topsoil borrow area, development waste pile, and substation. Erosion control structures such as silt fence, <br />circumvential ditches and hay bales have protected the SAES to allow for sustainable vegetation <br />estabilshment. Per the field investigation conducted November 5, 2004, and subsequent report, vegetative <br />cover at all four sites was estimated to range from 20 to 30 percent with no erosion problems observed. <br />1.3 CRITERIA <br />The removal of the erosion control structures is dependant on the demonstration that sediment generated <br />by the Lone Pine SAES are equal to or less than sediment generated by adjacent undisturbed areas during <br />a 10-year, 24-hour storm event. <br />210-RUBLE Rpt_(lQ 18.05).doc I -1 <br />