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<br />2.05.5 Post Mining Land Use <br />(1) Surface Coal Mining Activities <br />This paragraph does not apply to underground coal mines <br />(2) Underground Mining Activities <br />(a) The Operator plans to return the disturbed areas to the <br />premining land use or their approved post mining land use through the <br />activities described in the reclamation plan. The utility and capacity <br />of the reclaimed lands to support a variety of uses are luaited due to <br />the remote location in a semi-arid region that does not have a developed <br />water supply. The surface coal loading facilities and the coal silo <br />located in Elk Creek would be suitable for use as a receiving location <br />for mines remote to the railroad and the markets served by the railroad. <br />The Elk Creek disturbed area, after removal of the surface facilities and <br />surface reclamation, could be suitable for expansion of the town of <br />Somerset, since a culinary water system is in place and operational. <br />However, the Operator plans to return most of the reclaimed areas to <br />undeveloped land. <br />The Sanborn Creek disturbed area, after removal of the <br />surface facilities and reclamation, will be reclaimed to support a post <br />mining land use of industrial and undeveloped land. A portion of the <br />reclaimed land could be used as a location for a railroad siding. <br />A trailhead/parking area is proposed for the upper <br />Hubbard Creek facility area. The proposal provides public access to U.S. <br />Forest Service lands for recreational use, providing greater public <br />utility of undeveloped land. <br />The post mining land use of the lower Hubbard Creek site, <br />Bear Canyon ventilation facilities, and the Bear Canyon B-Seam degas site <br />will be undeveloped/public use in recognition of the public's right to <br />access and pass through these sites. <br />The cemetery access road will be left in place to provide <br />public access to the cemetery and necessary access to the 200,000 <br />culinary water tank that will serve the town of Somerset. The road that <br />extends up Elk Creek Canyon will also be left in place. The Elk Creek <br />Canyon road will be used by the landowner to access its undeveloped land <br />and may also be utilized by wildlife management personnel and adjacent <br />property owners. <br />(i) The post mining land use will be achieved through <br />the reclamation plan as described in 2.05.9. <br />(ii) The proposed land use is the premining land use of <br />undeveloped land and industrial except for upper and lower Hubbard Creek, <br />the Bear Canyon ventilation facilities and the Bear Canyon B-Seam degas <br />disturbances. The post mining land use of these areas is <br />undeveloped/public use. Public use is considered a sub-category of the <br />recreation land use defined in Rule 1.04. The Operator intends to convey <br />a right-of-way or easement to the Forest Service to provide access to the <br />upper Hubbard Creek trailhead/parking area. <br />2.05 - 39 <br />Rev. 5:09-15-94 <br />~0'~SI4 <br />