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Reclamation Plan <br /> Within one year of permanent cessation of mining operations, reclamation of the site will begin. Final <br /> reclamation activity conducted during the period of active mining will be limited primarily to CRDA-I, <br /> CRDA-2,and CRDA-3, where reclamation is concurrent with refuse pile construction. Final reclamation of <br /> the North Decline area was conducted in 1991. Final reclamation upon cessation of mining will begin with <br /> removal of all structures and facilities,sealing of underground openings and monitoring wells. Disturbed areas <br /> will be backflled, remaining refuse disposal areas covered, and final grade achieved. Topsoil will be <br /> redistributed on most areas, and all areas will be seeded and mulched. Roads not approved for postmining use <br /> will be removed when no longer needed for reclamation activities. Details of the reclamation plan are included <br /> in Tab 14 of the approved permit application package. <br /> All structures will be dismantled and removed from the site. Mine entries and ventilation shafts will be sealed <br /> with a double row of concrete blocks and ten feet of noncombustible material, or simply backfrlled with 25 <br /> feet of non-combustible material. Drill holes and monitoring wells will be filled with drill hole cuttings or <br /> sealant and plugged with cement. <br /> Disturbed areas will be backfrlled to approximate original contour. There are no plans for retention of <br /> highwalls. <br /> Contemporaneous reclamation of the Cameo Refuse Disposal Areas will entail maintaining one bare refuse <br /> bench and outslope below that bench between active fill construction areas and covered benches below, in <br /> order to minimize potential for refuse spillage onto reclaimed areas. Placement of cover soil on a refuse bench <br /> may be delayed for an additional year in the event of continued seepage which could negatively impact <br /> reclamation. Refuse areas will be compacted and graded to final contour and covered with the required <br /> thickness of non-toxic, non-combustible material(24"on CRDA-2, l8" on RSRDA,CRDA-1 and CRDA-3). <br /> This cover depth includes topsoil. Due to continued use of the Flat top of the RSRDA, final reclamation of <br /> the RSRDA will occur in conjunction with reclamation of adjacent South Portal facility areas. <br /> Roads will be reclaimed when no longer needed for access during reclamation activities. All roads will be <br /> reclaimed with the exception of those listed in Section C.I. of this document. Roads will be ripped,cuts and <br /> fills returned to approximate original contour, and the entire surface regraded. <br /> Topsoil will be redistributed approximately 6" thick on all reclaimed refuse disposal areas, the North Portal <br /> facilities area, and the Cameo Borrow Area No. 2. Portions of areas which were disturbed prior to any <br /> reclamation requirements and from which no topsoil was salvaged, including the South Portal area,and the <br /> Unit Train Loadout will be surfaced with at least 6 inches of the best available material on site following <br /> removal of coaly material. Disturbed areas will be drill seeded or hydroseeded with the seedmixes listed in <br /> Table 14-2 of the permit application. The reclamation plan is presented in Tab 14 of the application. <br /> Because of the low precipitation and saline and sodic soils, revegetation will be difficult. However, with <br /> intensive management, the permittee should be able to revegetate the disturbed area with a diverse, effective, <br /> and permanent vegetation cover similar to the surrounding area. Utilization of adapted plant species will aid <br /> the success of vegetation reestablishment. Initial results of 1994 revegetation efforts on CRDA-1 and CRDA-2 <br /> lower benches have been encouraging, with good to excellent establishment of seeded shrubs, grasses and <br /> (orbs. Permanent seeding of the North Decline area several years previously was less succesful, with <br /> establishment of seeded species limited primarily to four-wing saltbush and greasewood shrubs. Minimal <br /> establishment of seeded grasses or forts was observed,and some areas were heavily dominated by cheatgrass. <br /> 16 <br />