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-47- <br />stockpiles on site, 2,400 cubic yards of soil would be imported. The Division <br />requested that the source of the soil be specified and appropriate analyses be <br />provided. <br />In the responses, the applicant stated that arrangements had been made with <br />the Colorado Highway Department and WECC to salvage topsoil that will be <br />disturbed by Highway Department's river channel relocation project. The <br />volume of soil was calculated to be sufficient, when added to the existing <br />topsoil in storage, to cover the entire regraded area with 6 inches of topsoil. <br />The applicant, in the revised reclamation plan for the Bear No. 1 and <br />No. 2 Mines, indicated that the regraded surface would be ripped prior to <br />topsoil application, and disked following final grading of topsoil to <br />alleviate compaction and crimp mulch into the soil. <br />Subsequent to original permit approval, West Elk Coal Company incorporated the <br />major portion of the Bear No. 1 site into their permit for the Mt. Gunnison <br />No. 1 mine. West Elk assumed reclamation responsibility for the old <br />Bear No. 1 facilities (excluding the backfilled portal and immediately <br />adjacent area) as detailed in their technical revision application of 1984. <br />An area of less than 1 acre in the western portion of the Bear No. 1 area has <br />not yet been topsoiled, but is to be topsoiled, seeded and mulches in the fall <br />of 1985. <br />Several concerns regarding topsoil salvage at the Bear No. 3 were raised by <br />the Division in the review letter of January 18, 1982. All of the concerns <br />have been resolved to the satisfaction of the Division. <br />The applicant salvaged the top 15 inches of soil from the area to be affected <br />by surface operations. The subsoil will not be disturbed during the mining <br />operation, other than the effects resulting from compaction. During <br />reclamation, the entire area will be ripped to alleviate compaction and the <br />upper 15 inches of topsoil will be redistributed onto the area. It is not <br />anticipated that the permit revision for the mining of Federal Coal <br />Lease No. C-0111192 will not affect topsoil because the revision will not <br />involve surface disturbance. <br />The proposed operation is in compliance with the requirements of this section. <br />XII. Vegetation -Rules 2.04.10, 2.05.4(2)(e), and 4.15 <br />Vegetation information can be found on pages 54 through 55 of the Bear No. <br />and No. 2 portion of the application and page 2.04-43 of the Bear No. 3 <br />portion of the application. The revegetation plan is discussed on pages 7i <br />through 74c of the first application and pages 2.05.40 through 2.05.43 and <br />4.15-4 of the second application. <br />The most prevalent vegetation type in the permit are is mapped as wet mixed <br />shrub, and is characterized by dense shrub stands dominated by serviceberry <br />(Amelanchier alnifolia) and gambel oak ( uercus gambelii). The type dominates <br />on the north and east facing slopes rising to the south of the North Fork of <br />