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A. Rule 3.03.1(2)(a) Sixty Percent Bond Release <br />Up to sixty percent of the applicable bond amount shall be released when the permittee successfully <br />completes backfilling, regrading, and drainage control in accordance with the approved reclamation <br />plan. <br />1. Backfilling, Grading and Drainage <br />The approved post-mining topography of the reclamation plan is depicted in Drawing 19, Post <br />Mine Topo, last revision number TR 42, dated 4/14/97. The actual reclaimed topography of areas <br />of the Application is depicted on Exhibit 1, 1997 Bond Release Application, dated 3/2/98 (Exhibit <br />1, first dated 8/5/97, was revised three times by Colowyo in response to Division review comments). <br />The accuracy of Exhibit 1 with regard to areal extent was checked by Global Positioning System <br />surveys conducted by the Division on November 20, December 17, and December 18, 1997. <br />Topography was checked by total station traverse surveys on December 17 and 18, 1997. These <br />surveys found Exhibit 1 to be reasonably accurate, within the tolerances of the materials, equipment <br />and procedures performed. Elevations are estimated to be within 25 feet of those shown on <br />Drawing 19, and horizontal locations likely within 100 feet of those shown. This degree of <br />correlation is acceptable, considering the approved land use, the vastness of the areas, and the <br />significant relief over the site. The backfilling and grading was found to support the post-mining <br />. land use of grazing. <br />The information of Exhibit 1 (second edition, certified by a professional engineer on October 29, <br />1997) was evaluated against the approved post-mining topography of Drawing Number 19. With <br />the exception of approximately 39 acres of the northern part of the Section 16 Pit reclamation, the <br />as-built topography as depicted on Exhibit 1 conformed acceptably to the approved post-mining <br />topography of Drawing Number 19 (horizontal variations of contours up to 100 feet). The 39-acre <br />area is located in the NWl/< corner of Section 15 and NEI/4 of Section 16, bound by state plane <br />coordinates N335000 to N336500E and E1351000 to E135700. Significant differences in elevations, <br />changes in land forms, and changes in drainage characteristics were brought to the attention of the <br />Applicant by a Division adequacy letter of January 30, 1997 (Re: Colowyo Coal Company 1997 <br />Phase I Bond Release, C-81-019, Technical Adequacy). The Applicant responded to the adequacy <br />questions and modified the Application with a revised Exhibit 1 (Revision Number 1, dated <br />2/10/98) under a letter of February 16, 1998, Re: Application For Phase I Bond Release on 1987- <br />1995 Reclaimed Areas Colowyo Coal Company, L.P. (C-81-019) Response to CDMG Technical <br />Adequacy Letter of January 30, 1998. The area of non-conformity is an area that the Operator <br />intends to re-disturb with the advance of the East Pit, in conjunction with the extraction of deeper <br />coal seams, and its inclusion in the release Application was in error. Upon reclamation of the East <br />Pit, this region will be backfilled and graded to the approved topography of Drawing Number 19. <br />Identification of errors in Table 1 of the February 16, 1998, letter, and omission of information on <br />• 18 April 27, 1998 <br />