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t <br />Pit # 1 was the next area to be viewed. The majority of the <br />disturbed area in this location is on Bureau of Land <br />Management (BLM) property. A small section located in the <br />Southeastern corner of the Pit # 1 area is on State <br />jurisdiction land. <br />The operator has reclaimed this area to a configuration that <br />is not AOC. A review of the original MRP approved by the State <br />in 1980 shows that the Pit #1 area was, in fact, to be <br />restored to its AOC. However, beginning in April, 1990, and <br />continuing until November, 1993, the company had submitted and <br />the State has approved revisions to the MRP that now allow for <br />the land to be reclaimed to something other than AOC. <br />The following information was elicited from the operator: <br />The Pit #1 area was first affected by surface coal mining <br />operations in 1981. From 1981 until approximately 1988 all <br />overburden from the Pit #1 area was hauled back to the general <br />location of the northern portion of the "720" pit. No <br />explanation was given as to why this material was not <br />stockpiled in the vicinity of Pit #1 for future reclamation <br />needs. From about 1989 until mining ceased in January, 1993, <br />overburden from Pit #1 was placed in the southern part of that <br />pit. The overburden to coal ratio ran from 6.5 to 1 initially <br />to 5 to 1 more recently. The average depth of the "720" pit <br />was 300 feet while Pit #1 was 250 feet deep. <br />Reclamation of the Pit #1 a <br />highwalls by bulldozing the <br />into the pit. No additional <br />spoil was accomplished. The <br />between 3 to 1 and 2.5 to 1 <br />degrees. <br />rea consisted of reducing the <br />unaffected-area above..the.highwall <br />transportation or backfilling of <br />final slopes were found to be <br />or between 18 degrees and 22 <br />A review of the 1980 permit and USGS maps indicated a pre- <br />mining topography of the following: <br />An undisturbed natural ridgeline running in a general North- <br />South direction with side slopes of approximately 8 degrees to <br />the East and 14 degrees to the West. The natural drainage from <br />the East facing slope of the ridge ran in an Easterly <br />direction into an unnamed tributary of the Canadian River. The <br />drainage from the West facing slope ran in a West North-West <br />direction into Bush Draw. <br />The reclamation accomplished by the operator consists, <br />generally speaking, of an East-West running pit area, that <br />bisects the North-South running ridge, with slopes graded down <br />into the pit of approximately 20 degrees. This pit <br />configuration is approximately 2000 feet long, 1000 feet <br />across and 150 feet deep. Instead of there being two separate <br />drainage patterns as described above all drainage is now <br />directed into the Bush Draw area located to the North-West. <br />