2003-10-03_REVISION - M1981021 (2)

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Bob Oswald Re: West Sunday Mine, Permit M-1981-021 Response to September 18, 2003 Adequacy Review, Technical Revision TR-03 Page 3 of 4 compaction. Therefore, any settling that might occur would be expected to be near the surface and of limited volume. Filled shafts will be checked after at least five days, and if no settling has occurred and no additional fill is necessary, the final fill material will be placed and left slightly mounded, to allow for minor near surface settling that might occur later. (4) Are there any culverts present, which are to remain or be removed? Response: There are no culverts under the West Sunday Mine access road. (S) Will there be any barricades placed m prevent vehicular access on reclaimed road surfaces? Response: Access roads will be water-barred as an erosion mitigation measure. Water bars help serve as impediments to vehicular access. Unfortunately, all areas of work and disturbance seem to attract curious people who will go to nearly any means necessary to get into a site if they desire. Nonetheless, discouraging vehicular access is desirable, to try to protect freshly reclaimed surfaces. The Operator proposes to place rock barricades, i.e. a row of boulders across the reclaimed road, in areas that are likely to receive heavy traffic or which need careful protection during reclamation recovery. Alternatively, a berm of native site materials can be pushed up across roads to discourage access. Barricades such as rows of boulders and dirt berms can be a bit unsightly and uncomplimentary to the natural surroundings, so use of barricades will be limited to the degree possible. (6) Please clarify the volume of topsoil present, what portions of the site will be topsoiled, and the depth it will be spread. Response: As reported in the Operator's correspondence of March 28, 2003, the topsoil stockpile portrayed on the 1" = 100' WEST SUNDAY MINE site map is estimated to be approximately 1,100 yd3. If the topsoil is spread 4" thick, it will cover an area of about 2 acres. The most beneficial location for the soil is near the west entrance to the mine site and across the dump surface to stabilize these areas as quickly as possible. The topsoil will be used in areas that have minimal slope to avoid loss of topsoil to erosion prior to establishment of vegetative cover. The Operator expects that additional suitable reclamation cover material can be obtained from the catchment berms around the dump toe and the contained fine material. Other Comments: "One additional item associated with revegetation of a site is adequate control of noxious weeds ... it could be a good time to include some language concerning monitoring for noxious weeds, and if needed, an adequate plan for their control will be developed, submitted to this Division, and implemented by IUC." Response: Although inclusion of commitments that rely on qualitative judgments is difficult (i.e. composition of cover, sustainability, amount of weeds present and tolerable, etc.), the Operator is willing to agree to monitor for noxious weeds during the period of