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O <br />3 ?pp~ ~/ <br />m-,~~~z <br />A+'^-~- ~ <br />~i2DM~~ej Lew/C~/ <br />aru4 Assoc <br />The current mining operation is basically invisible to the surrounding area To~t~jtivest, south and east <br />due to the leaving of a 20' high natural berm in this area. This berm will remain i'n~Yplace until the <br />very end of the operation, when it will be mined out to achieve a final flat grade of the site. See time <br />schedule in [he mining plan. Helping in minimizing visibility for areas to the north is the fact that the <br />operation will only be mining one strip at a time and will be reclaiming the previous strip at the same <br />time, thus keeping disturbance to a minimum throughout the mining area. To further mitigate visual <br />concerns to houses located on the other side of the airport to the northwest, an additional visual berm <br />is being placed on the area above the northwest slope of the existing pit. This berm will be created <br />from material in the existing soil/overburden stockpile and will be 10' high and have sideslopes of <br />2.S:1.OV. It will be seeded and mulched immediately after construction to the same standards as <br />shown in the reclamation plan for the entire area. This berm is shown on Map C-2 and the following <br />page. Hours of operation will also be limited as agreed to with the County. <br />Although the sand/gravel annual production rate is given as maximum of 250,000 tons per year, <br />most years will see much less activity. The higher rate is needed to handle occasional big jobs such <br />as an airport expansion, which is in the interest of the County. As described in the above mining <br />plan, the sediment pond will contain all runoff so that no sediment will leave the site and cloud any <br />downstream waters.The Berry Pit will be reclaimed to part dry rangeland and part wildlife habitat, <br />which are the pre-mine uses of the lands. United will work closely with Division of Wildlife, the <br />County, the landowners and the DMG to ensure that the reclamation plan is the best possible for <br />achieving the post-mining land use. Portable sanitation facilities will be provided to all workers at <br />the minesite. The waste will be taken off site for treatment in an approved facility. There will be no <br />leach fields or other means of sewage disposal. There will be no new demands on Rio Blanco <br />County services from the additional extraction areas. All trucks leaving the site will be covered will <br />not be allowed [o [tack mud on Highway 13. Trucks may supply demands in any direction once they <br />enter Highway 13. This gravel pit has been in place for many years and has a special use permit from <br />Rio Blanco County. United will work with the irrigation ditch company in monitoring for any in- <br />crease in seepage along the wall of the pit due to the operation. If any additional seepage occurs, <br />United will cover the cost of mitigating this increase. <br />Berry Pit 3/02 13 <br />