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,~ <br />proposed haul road as amended permit acreage. <br />4. The baseline blasting inventory was completed in early Mazch, 1996, and results forwarded tc <br />Tezak Heavy Equipment Co, Inc. By Vibratech, Inc., the engineering firm that perfi>rmed the <br />ok blasting inventory. At the time of report availability, the writer was instructed by the Division to <br />file one copy of the blasting inventory with the County C{erk and Recorder's office. Tezak <br />Heavy Equipment Co, Inc. also has retained a copy for future reference. It might be noted that <br />the Smiths declined the services of Vibra-tech and did not allow the blasting inventory to be <br />taken at their residence. Each resident along Tunnel Drive that had the blasting surrey done had <br />a copy of their results sent to them. For the purposes of meeting the Division's request, a copy <br />of the blasting inventory will be included in the forthcoming mailing to the Division. <br />OThe applicant feels that the rock conditions portrayed at the site over the past twenty years of <br />mining the highwall contact is the best evidence of highwall stability. With a major highwall <br />~~ developed of over 100 feet at the .25 : !slope, the highwall contact shows no sign of instability <br />or deterioration of the rock due to weathering. Furthermore, the final highwall conti:guration <br />that will be left in place will limit the vertical bench heights to 40 feet with 20 foot wide <br />benches between vertical runs. This final highwall design will increase the safety factor of the <br />highwall contact and together with the chazacteristics of the rock hardness and high degree of <br />competency exposed at this site will result in low level of risk due to highwall failur.. There are <br />not presently or in the future plans to locate any structures below the highwall conta~;t. Due to <br />the location of the highwall well within the affected land boundaries, there is extremely low <br />potential for off-site impact due to possible highwall failure. As the regulation states, "on a site- <br />specific basis", there seems to be little if any validity in requiring a engineering study to confirm <br />the obvious condition of a highwall design that has proven the test of time in the field-by far the <br />best method of determining safety of design. Nevertheless, the applicant will have a stability <br />analysis of the highwall contact in order to demonstrate an adequate factor of safety for the post <br />mining {and uses, rangeland and wildlife habitat. <br />ok 6. Highwall safety regarding man or animal that could possibly come into close pros:imity to the <br />highwall area from the top will be addressed by the operator by the installation of a I~~gal barbed <br />wire fence to restrict access to the highwall contact area along the upper edge of the disturbance. <br />`7 The drainage plan and engineering design of the proposed haul road have been completed and <br />~^^,'('~ wtll be submitted to the Division within the next few days. <br />®l'he existing and planned haul roads will stay in place as long as necessary for the <br />construction company access to the main shop and office complex. The existing haul road not <br />7 ~y~ only connects the office and shop complex to Tunnel Drive access by car and small truck, but <br />acts as a stormwater ditch to direct storm flows into Sediment Ponds #2, #3, and #4 which will <br />remain in place during and after mining operations. At the end of mining, the upper Half of the <br />existing haul road may stay intact for 10-15 years for access to the reclaimed mining area and <br />sediment ponds for yearly maintenance. When all mining areas are completely revegetated and <br />~~~ <br /> <br />~~~~~:~~~ oa. .tee <br />~~ <br />