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greatest degree possible' has also been removed from the text regarding topsoil <br />placement. <br />7. Please see response #9 below. <br />8. Overburden depths range from 3-5 feet in thickness over the entire site. These <br />figures include 6-18 inches of topsoil. During stripping, topsoil will be separated <br />from the rest of the overburden and stored in separate locations to keep the <br />topsoil viable for future use in reclamation. The stockpiles will be located as <br />shown on the revised Exhibit C-3, Mine Plan Map. For reclamation, overburden <br />and topsoil will be respread over the site at the same thickness that currently <br />exists on the site. That is, overburden replaced on the site during reclamation <br />will be 3 to 5 feet deep, which includes the 6-18 of topsoil. Topsoil will be placed <br />last in each phase and seeding will not take place until topsoil has been spread. <br />9. The following seed mix will be applied to the side slopes of the reclaimed mine <br />areas: 20% Luna pubescent wheatgrass, 20% Jose tall wheatgrass, 15% <br />Hycrest crested wheatgrass, 15% San Luis slender wheatgrass, 10% Russian <br />wildrye, and 20% annual ryegrass. This mix was proposed to the DMG on an <br />adjacent mine site and subsequently approved by the Division. This mix is a <br />good selection of native and drought resistant grasses that should provide good <br />cover with minimal need for continued irrigation. The same seed mix will be <br />applied to the topsoil berms if they are to remain undisturbed and in the same <br />place for more than one growing season. Seeding of the berms and sideslopes <br />will take place in the first spring after they are constructed. Please note that <br />since it impossible to know what crops will be in demand 5 to 10 years in the <br />future, no seed mix for the crops has been proposed at this time. Some crops <br />that may be grown on site that are grown in the vicinity of the property are Coors <br />barley, corn, and alfalfa. The Applicant would like to reserve the right to choose <br />the best crop coverage for the time at which each phase is completely reclaimed. <br />10. Exhibit F, Reclamation Plan Map has been signed by Mr. Paul T. Banks and is <br />attached. <br />11. Please refer to #3 above for a discussion about how the Applicant will address <br />the concerns expressed in the OSE referral letter. <br />12. As discussed in #3 above, the Applicant commits to not expose groundwater <br />during mining. If groundwater is encountered through the course of mining, the <br />Applicant will place a minimum of two feet of material over the exposed area until <br />such time an OSE sand and gravel well permit has been obtained. <br />13. We used old cost per acre figures from past permits to arrive at the estimated <br />cost for seeding and fertilizing. The Division has not questioned those figures in <br />past applications. However, per your request, we did take a new look at costs <br />based on the "RS Means Heavy Construction Cost Data" manual. The more <br />recent data indicates that fertilizing will cost approximately $200/acre and <br />seeding will cost approximately $900/acre, for a combined cost of approximately <br />$84,700 for seeding and fertilizing (based on 77 acres). <br />