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II. CRITERIA AND SCHEDULE FOR BOND RELEASE <br />Rule 3.03.1(2)(c) states that the final portion of the performance bond, "shall be <br />released when the permittee has successfully completed all surface mining <br />reclamation operations in accordance with the approved reclamation plan, and the <br />final inspection procedures of 3.03.2 have been satisfied. This shall not be before <br />the expiration of the period specified for revegetation responsibility in 3.02.3." <br />Rule 3.03.1(4) states, "No bond shall be fully released until all reclamation <br />requirements of these rules and the Act are fully met...". The same rule goes on <br />to state, "No acreage shall be released from the permit area until all surface coal <br />mining and reclamation operations on that acreage have been completed in <br />accordance with the approved reclamation plan." <br />Phase I bond release was approved on December 22, 1988. The Division found <br />that the backfilling, grading and drainage reestablishment had been performed as <br />required by the approved reclamation plan. Phase II bond release was approved <br />on August 1, 1991 for Mine Phases I, II and III and on December 21, 1995 for <br />Mine Phase N. For [he Phase II bond releases, the Division found that topsoil <br />had been replaced in accordance with the approved plan, vegetation was <br />successfully established and the level of suspended solids on the reclaimed site <br />did not exceed the levels on adjacent unmined lands. The loadout in Walden was <br />designated industrial land use and final bond release for this facility was approved <br />on July 14, 1997. . <br />The liability period at the Canadian Strip Mine is a minimum of ten yeazs. This <br />was initiated in 1987 when the reclaimed areas were seeded. <br />The approved reclamation plan says revegetation success at the Canadian Strip <br />Mine will be based on species diversity, woody plant density, cover and <br />production. The species diversity standard is based on baseline data as discussed <br />on page 65 of the permit application. The woody plant density standazd is 500 <br />stems/acre. Cover and production in the reclaimed area must be statistically <br />comparable to the big sagebrush reference area. These revegetation success <br />standards are to be achieved during the last two years of the liability period. <br />Final bond release also requires a demonstration that the post mining land use has <br />been achieved. The post mining land uses at the Canadian Mine are rangeland <br />and wildlife habitat. <br />Lastly, for final bond release an evaluation of the surface and ground water <br />impacts relative to the statement of probable hydrologic consequences is <br />necessary. The analysis must show that onsite impacts have been minimized and <br />that offsite impacts have been prevented. Any observable hydrologic trends are to <br />be discussed. <br />Canadian Strip Mine ? November I8, 1998 <br />Permit No. C-81-026 Final Bond Release <br />