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<br /> <br />The proposed activities will not materially damage the quantity or quality of water <br />in the surface or ground water system described above. Locating the rail spur on <br />the alluvial valley floor will not cause measurable changes in the water quantity or <br />quality. Local material will be used for the fill, where necessary. This material is <br />not acid-forming or toxic, as demonstrated by geochemical analysis of materials <br />throughout the permit area. Waters which irrigate the pasture are taken out of the <br />Purgatoire River above the confluence with Lorencito Canyon. At a maximum <br />discharge rate of 65 gpm to Cow Canyon and typical mine water dischazge quality, <br />changes to water quality in the Purgatoire would be minimal. TDS may increase <br />from 251 mg/I to 267 mg/I for the waters which irrigate the Chacon pasture. SAR <br />may increase from 1.02 to 2.72. Neither of these small changes would affect the <br />useability of this water for irrigation. (4.24.3(3) and 2.06.8(5)(a)(ii)) <br />Surface coal mining and reclamation operations will be conducted to preserve the <br />essential hydrologic functions of alluvial valley floors outside the permit area and <br />to reestablish the essential hydrologic functions of alluvial valley floors within the <br />affected area throughout the mining and reclamation process. The location of the <br />rail spur on a small portion of the Purgatoire River AVF will not affect the <br />hydrologic function of the AVF, during operations or after. Upon final mine <br />closure, rail and ties will be taken up, fill materials will be removed, and the <br />disturbed azea ripped, topsoiled, seeded and mulched. This will restore the <br />hydrologic function of the immediate disturbed area to pre-mining levels. The <br />disturbed area will be compared to the similar irrigated pasture area for <br />determination of revegetative productivity of the disturbed AVF azea.(4.24.2) <br />B. An environmental monitoring system shall be installed, maintained, and operated <br />by the permittee on all alluvial valley floors during surface coal mining and <br />reclamation operations and continued until all bonds are released in accordance <br />with Rule 3. Monitoring of surface water, mine discharge water, and alluvial water <br />quantity and quality will occur over the life of the mine. (4.24.4) <br />XVIII. Operations on Prime Farmland <br />No specific approvals aze granted under this section. <br />XIX. Mountaintop Removal <br />A. The surface coal mining activities proposed will include the removal of an entire coal <br />seam or seams running through the upper fraction of a mountain, ridge or hill by <br />removing substantially all of the overburden off the bench, and, in portions of [he <br />surface mine, creating level plateaus or gently rolling contours that aze capable of <br />supporting the proposed postmining agricultural land uses of rangeland and wildlife <br />habitat. The Division therefore finds the proposed operation meets the definition of <br />mountaintop removal mining as described in Rule 2.06.3(2). <br />33 <br />