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SEP 06 '9a 04=50PM DIViMINERf1L5&GEOLOGY <br />AOC is difficulC.to assess within the context of these procedures shall <br />be resolved through consultation with the regulatory authority and the <br />a"ppropriate Assistant Director for Field Operations. <br />c. Procedures. <br />(1) Role of Permitting. Because backfilling and grading <br />reoresents the largest single cost in reclamation and, once c~leted, is <br />followed by topsoil replacement and revegetation, both the pernittee and <br />the regulatory authority need a clear understanding.of the final <br />postmining topography prior to mining. The permittee needs this <br />information so that•he may determine if mining is profitable and knew <br />that once topsoil replacement and revegetation proceeds, additional <br />regrading will not be required. The regulatory authority needs to know <br />in order that the appropriate bond can be set, contemporaneous <br />reclamation standards can be enforced, and environmental disruption and <br />topsoil loss associated with a sernnd regrading can be avoided. <br />Therefore, the anticipated postmining topography must be determined in <br />the permitting process with typical cross section or contour maps <br />depicting both the premising and anticipated postminin9 slopes with <br />sufficient clarity and detail to enable a coc:rparison to determine if AOC <br />has been achieved. <br />where the postmining topography described in the approved <br />permit lacks sufficient detail or does not closely resemble the general <br />land configuration before Wining, a pemit modification is required in <br />accordance with the State counterpart of 30.c3:'R 774.13. <br />(2) Inspection Criteria. AOC is achieved through a reasonable, <br />but not necessarily exact, rendering of the approved postmining <br />topography. Inspectors shall determine whether AlJC requirements have <br />been met by applying the following three elements contained in the <br />definition of AOC. <br />(a) General surface configuration. The reclairxd azea <br />should closely resemble the general surface configuration of the land <br />prlor to mining. this should not be interpreted, however, as requiring <br />that postuiining contours exactly match the premising contours or that <br />long uninterrupted premising slopes musC result in the same. Father, the <br />general terrain should be cortparable to the premised terrain; that is, if <br />the ac ea was basically level or gently rolling before Wining, it should <br />retain these general features after mining. Rolls and dips need not be <br />restored in their original locations and level ereas may be increased or <br />terraces created in acrnrdance xith the Federal revelations at JO CFR <br />H16.102(g) or 817.102(8) through formation of shorter, steeper slopes, <br />provided that those slopes are capable of supporting the postmining land <br />use and blend with the surrounding terrain. <br />P.3i5 <br />-2- <br />