GENERAL45890

• Permit No: C2006085
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 10/10/2007
• Doc Name: Soils and Vegetation Reviews
• From: Sandy Brown
• To: Kent Gorham
• Permit Index Doc Type: Vegetation
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
COLORADO
DIVISION OF
RECLAMATION
MINING
- &-
SAFETY
Bill Rltter, Jr.
TO: Kent Gorham
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Sandy Brown Harris D. Sherman

DATE:
October 10, 2 0 Executive DireROr

RE:
Northfield Permit Application Ronald W. Cottony
Division Director
Soils and Vegetation Reviews Natural Resource Trustee
I have reviewed the responses dated August 23, 2007 submitted in response to our June 18, 2007
adequacy review. The responses were submitted by Environmental Alternatives, Inc. on behalf
of Northfield Partners LLC (NP). I reviewed the questions I had on the soils and vegetation
sections of the Northfield Permit application. NP hired Kent Croft's company IME to conduct
the baseline vegetation survey and assist with the revegetation success standards. IME did a very
thorough job and should be commended for their efforts. The final IME report is located in
Exhibit J of the permit application.
A common thread through the following questions is that the permit application will need to be
updated to summazize the information presented in Exhibit J. Each outstanding question is
addressed below using the numbering from your November letter. Items previously resolved are
not included.
Topsoil -Rule 4.09
21. The Division requested Northfield to remove sweet clover from the temporary seed mix.
The reason for this is that it is a persistent introduced species. One other legume that
established quickly, Ranger alfalfa, is in the temporary seed mix and there aze several fast
growing annuals which should be sufficient for erosion control. Northfield's response
states that Kent Crofts recommended sweetclover be retained and he has experience in
Fremont County at the Southfield Mine. sweetclover was not approved for use at the
Southfield Mine. The Division is not approving sweetclover in the temporary seed mix.
Please remove sweetclover from the Temporary seed mix in Table 2.05.4-3 and
revise the table accordingly.
22. Ten inches of topsoil salvage and replacement is acceptable. Response accepted.
23. I suggest that you complete a commitment coding form indicating that NP will provide
the volume of stockpiled topsoil upon completion of the topsoil pile construction.
Ofrice of Office of
Mined Land Rxlamation Denver Grand Junction Durango Active and Inactive Mines