REV01469 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

fragments. These 4 sample locations correspond with the backfilled Portal No. 2 area and Borrow Area No. 1. This is a portion of the 17.3 acres locale that did not receive any topsoil. The Division responded to Energy Fuels in a letter dated November 15, 1994. This letter confirmed that based upon the submitted Topsoil substitute analysis, the substitute material was not toxic. The data indicated that coarse fragments could pose difficulties yet the analysis indicated that a fair degree of water holding capacity was available in the substitute material. The Division indicated that Energy Fuels could progress with seeding directly into the substitute \\ material, however, revegetation success criteria would not be revised on areas not receiving UJ~ ~ topsoil, and the Division would determine during the second growing season following seeding if this initial seeding was successful or not. ff determined to not be successful, the Division may V~Q aA~ require Energy Fuels to import topsoil as required on Permit page 516R. ~f ' The Division suggested the addition of additional organic matter into the topsoil substitute prior to seeding, in phone conversations and on-site discussions with the operator in [he Spring of 1995. This suggestion was not a requirement but was thought to help improve the filth and water holding capabilities of the coarse topsoil substitute material. The operator chose not to add an organic material "soil" amendment. Energy Fuels failed to seed the reclaimed slopes during the ftrst favorable seeding window after regrading and topsoil application. The Division issued a violation in June 1995 for failure to seed and failure to protect the topsoil resource. Due to the lateness of the season, Energy Fuels seeded a Sorghum Sudangrass cover crop in June 1995. The cover crop was cut and the permanent seed mix was seeded during November of 1995. Permanent seedmix was drill seeded on 26 acres of the mine site. The 1995 Annual Reclamation Report states that fertilizer was applied at seeding, but does not report formulation or rate of fertilizer. Site was mulched with 2 tons/acre straw mulch and crimped into the surface a[ the time of seeding. Permit page 519 commits to evaluation of the seeding to occur the first spring following planting. "Reseeding may be performed at this time or at any time until the fifth year of the liability period." "Initial evaluation of the revegetation success will be conducted the 2nd, 4th, and 7th yeaz following germination. Monitoring shall include measurements of cover, production, species diversity and woody plant density." Energy Fuels should schedule vegetation monitoring to occur during the summer of 1997. This monitoring should assess the success of establishment of permanent post-mining vegetation species on both the topsoiled and [he un[opsoiled areas. The Division will need to determine if additional topsoil, or additional soil amendments will be necessitated as a result of the vegetation assessment during Summer 1997. Comment to Operator: I} The Division would like to be present on site during the data collection for the vegetation establishment data collection. Areas [op soiled and not top soiled should be sampled to adequacy separate from each other to allow for comparison of these two data sets. The Division suggests that Energy Fuels discuss the proposed sampling plan with the Division prior to sample collection.