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salinity will not affect any uses of Grassy Creek water. The only current use <br />of Grassy Creek water (livestock watering) will not be impaired by the <br />projected increase in salinity. <br />Sage Creek <br />Life-of--mine plans for the Yoast Mine anticipate coal extraction within the <br />Sage Creek watershed during the second and third permit terms. Preliminary <br />estimates by Seneca Coal Company indicate that TDS concentrations in Sage <br />Creek downstream from Yoast spoil springs may increase from 641 to 2118 <br />mg/1. <br />With the submittal of PR-O1, SCC further evaluated the probable hydrologic <br />consequences of proposed Yoast mining operations in the Sage Creek <br />watershed. This evaluation occurred prior to any mine related disturbance in <br />that watershed. <br />Based on SCC's evaluation, the Division finds that although SCC has <br />predicted that salinity levels in Sage Creek may exceed the Division's <br />conductivity threshold of 1.0 mmho/cm, the effects to ranching/agricultural <br />operations along Sage Creek are deemed to be insignificant. The Division <br />finds that the proposed coal mining operation would not interrupt, <br />discontinue, or preclude farming on the potential alluvial valley floors that <br />have been identified along Sage Creek, downstream from the proposed <br />mining operation. The Division's findings in regazd to impacts to alluvial <br />valley floors aze presented in Section B, X of this document. <br />SCC projected electrical conductivity values for Sage Creek in excess of the <br />suspect level for material damage in the original Yoast application. SCC <br />presented analyses of impacts of elevated conductivity levels in terms of <br />material damage in PR-01. The Division agrees with SCC's analyses and <br />finds that the Yoast permit application package now complies with Rule <br />2.07.6(2)(c)&(k) which was the subject of Stipulation No. 7. The Division <br />also finds that the permit application package now complies with Rule <br />2.06.8(4), which was the subject of Stipulation No. 9. Therefore, Stipulation <br />Number 7 & Shave been complied with and removed. <br />IV. Topsoil <br />Baseline soils information is found in Tab 9 of the permit application package. Mine <br />soil reconstruction is discussed in Tab 21. <br />All available, suitable topsoil will be salvaged from azeas to be disturbed by mining <br />and either stored in a stockpile or immediately redistributed on regraded areas. <br />Thirteen topsoil stockpiles were used during the first five-yeaz permit term. Twelve <br />Yoast Mine 31 February 28, 2006. <br />