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Senep Coal Company Seneca II Mine Pre-Law Area Bond Release • VI. BOND RELEASE DOCUMENTATION June 2007 This bond release application applies only to Pre-Law areas, therefore only the following rules and regulations must be considered when evaluating the bond release requirements and standards. The 1986 Handbook Memorandum summarized Colorado's past reclamation laws and bond release requirements on Pre-Law and Interim Program azeas. The following aze excerpts from the Handbook (provided to SCC by Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety). Bond Release an Pn-Law and Interim Program Areas Pre-law areas are defined as those lands which were reclaimed prior to August 3, 1977 (the date the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act paned). Interim programs areas an those lands that are reclaimed after August 3, 1977 until the time a permanent Colorado program permit war issued (sometime after December 15, 1940). The reclamation standards underpreviaur Colorado laws were not ar stringent ar SMCRA and thenfon the baud release criteria mart coincide with the law and permit in effect at the time reclamation war conducted A summary of the previous law is provided below. Once a permanent program pernrit war issued the operator war bound to the standards under the permit, the Colorado Surface Mining and Reclamation Act and regulations promulgated pursuant to the Att. Colorado Open Cut Land Reclamation Act of 1969 1. Gradang mart strike off edger and peaks to a width of not lest than 15 feet with an even or undulating rkyG'ne ar the • ob'sctive. Z Ifport-mining land are war to be range, reeding bad to be done by hand power, or aerial meant. Seed mixture chosen wring advice from various qual~ed profenionak. No revegetation success criteria. 3. Reclamation war to be carved to completion with all reasonable diligence. If the area could not be successfully reclaimed within l0yearr because of acid or toxic material, or becauue of the texture of the material, an equivalent number of acres ofpreviourly mined and unreclaimed land could be reclaimed in its place to satisfy the runty requirements. Colorado Open Mininv Ltnd Reclamation Act of 1973 1. Grading mart strike off all the peaks and ridges to a width of not lets than 15 feet, and to thegreatert extent possible, restore slopes to their original condition. No nape war to be too steep to be traversed by livestock subJect to Board approval. 2. Seeding requirements wen similar to the 1969 law, with reed mixture chosen wring the advice of qualifier experts. No grazing was pe»nitted until the vegetation war firmly established as determined by the Board, landowner, and the Soil Conservation Senate. 3. Wheneverpossible, the operator was to main topsail for reclamation. 4. If the land could not be raecerrfully reclaimed within l0yearr because of acid or toxic material, ar because of the texture of the material, an equivalent number of acres of previously mined and unreclaimed land Could be reclaimed in its place to satisfy the surly requirements. The area to be traded mart be shown on a map. Applicable Rules for Pre-Law Bond Release (Reclamation Board Rules Effective February 25, 1976) There rules, again, expanded the detail needed in a permit application concerning the methods of reclamation and type of reclamation that war proposed to be achieved • 1. Gradin8 war to be: appropriate to the part-mining land use; a physically attractive rurroundiug,• ores!, completed to control erosion and siltation of the affected area, surrounding property, and water coaster. The Board could regxire terracing.