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XII. <br />XIII. <br />XIV. <br /> <br /> <br />Fish and Wildlife - Rules 2.04.11, 2.05.6(2) and 4.8 <br />Designs were submitted to the Division by Snowmass Coal Co, on type <br />of construction for powerpoles and lines at North Thompson Creek <br />Mine and the loadout so to minimize the danger of electrocution to <br />raptors. These designs were approved by the Division and were <br />implemented for all additional powerpoles and lines at the mine <br />site. Therefore, Stipulation No. 7 to the original findings has <br />been satisfied. <br />No other changes to this section have occurred. <br />Prime Farmland - Rules 2.04.12. 2.06.6 and 4.25 <br />During this review of the request for the permit renewal the <br />operator has committed to restoring that portion of the prime <br />farmland which has been taken out of production by the loadout haul <br />road and truck dump pad. This would include either removing the <br />road or putting into production gullied areas of the prime farmland <br />that are not now productive. The operator has committed to <br />revising the reclamation plan prior to implementing reconstruction <br />of the prime farmland. Therefore, Stipulation No. 8 is no longer <br />in effect. <br />Operations Descriptions - Rules 2.05.2, 2.05.3, and 4.01 <br />The operation description remains valid for the old production <br />methodology at the mine. However, the mine site has been almost <br />totally reclaimed and Mine No. 3 and Mine No. 1 have both been <br />flooded. The longwall in Mine No. 1 was left in the ground. The <br />continuous miners were pulled out of Mine No. 3. The wash plant <br />and all surface facilities have been removed. The only surface <br />facilities that now exist are sediment ponds and a treatment <br />facility for mine seepage from No. 1 mine. <br />XV. Mine Facilities, Ponds, Im <br />Han ing tructures - Ru es <br />Roads <br />ndments and Diversions. and <br />4.03 <br />The only roads left onsite are alight use road that has been left <br />in as access to the mine water treatment ponds at North Thompson <br />Creek No. 1 and the old truck dump haul road across the upland <br />terrace above the old loadout. Two (2) acres of this area has been <br />designated prime farmland. The operator has committed to replacing <br />this productive prime farmland either by reconstructing prime <br />farmland in adjacent areas that are presently gullied <br />non-productive farm areas or removing the haul road. The land <br />owner has requested that the road be left in so that he may better <br />access his property and to utilize the old truck dump pad as a hay <br />storage area. The Division is in agreement that the road is useful <br />to the farmer, however, at this time with the present regulations, <br />there is no method of approving the road to be left in without <br />replacing the prime farmland no matter how small the area. Thus <br />the commitment from the operator to reclaim or replace the prime <br />farmland. <br />