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I. Roads -Rule 4.03 <br />The applicant presents a discussion of roads in Section 4.03 of Volume 2 of the permit <br />application. Road locations and designs are presented in Exhibit 17 and on Map 27. <br />The Division reviewed these designs for compliance with the design and performance <br />standazds of Rule 4.03. <br />There are approximately 1.8 miles of haul road, 3.0 miles of access road, and 2.5 miles <br />of light-use roads. Most roads found at the Eagle Mines are loc;tted on gentle slopes of <br />less than 5 percent grade. Only light-use roads which give access to monitoring sites are <br />found on steeper slopes. The operator is not proposing any new roads. Al] roads are <br />existing structures. <br />The design report prepared by C.T.L. Thompson (Exhibit 17) dt:monstrates that the <br />existing roads were designed with sound engineering practices ttnd are sttvcturally <br />stable. For the putpose of examining road cuts and road embankment conditions, the <br />operator looked at the worst-case road segments at the mine. <br />The roads at the mine were designed for proper road drainage as well as compatibility <br />with the sediment control system. A few access and light-use road segments did not <br />require roadside drainage ditches to collect runoff due to the fa<:t that the grade is only <br />two to five percent. An example is the access road on the southeast edge of the surface <br />facilities area. Roads were pitched to allow sheet runoff to disperse into adjacent <br />grassland. <br />On steeper roads, roadside drainage ditches are used to collect runoff and safely <br />discharge it. Much of the runoff from the roads is passed through a sedimentation pond <br />to decrease suspended solids. Culverts are provided at intersections with drainage <br />channels so as not to interfere with the natural stream flows. <br />The operator's design for the road bridge that crosses the Williams Fork River indicates <br />the bridge will safely pass the river flow resulting from a 100-year storm event. <br />One variance from the road drainage requirements is granted to the applicant. Rules <br />4.03.1(4)(e) and 4.03.2(4)(e) contain specific requirements for culvert spacing to <br />discharge water at periodic intervals from the mine roads. Tht: Division has not required <br />RAG Empire Corporation to adhere to these spacing requirements. The roads are <br />existing structures built before this requirement was implemented. The roads either <br />dischazge water as sheet flow or into a roadside ditch that has been designed to handle <br />the runoff generated by a 10-year, 24-hour precipitation event. For these reasons, <br />additional road drainage culverts were not required. <br />The Division has previously approved several road segments :For retention after mining <br />in accordance with Rules 4.03.1(7) and 4.03.2(7). The surface: owner has consented to <br />the retention of these roads and the roads are compatible with the post-mining land use. <br />These roads include: a 7,200-foot segment of the haul road connecting the Eagle No. 5 <br />17 <br />