GENERAL46113

• Permit No: C1982057
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 7/3/2006
• Doc Name: Proposed Decision & Findings of Compliance for RN4
• Permit Index Doc Type: Findings
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

The total permitted area, including the tie-across haul road, is approximately 4,093 acres. The
maximum proposed disturbed area is 1534.5 acres, including both the mine area (1334.5 acres}
and Tie Across Haul Road Area (200 acres). The disturbed area includes the mine pit area,
surface support facilities, haul roads and drainage control facilities. In addition to the primary
disturbance areas described, various exhibits and text refer to a number of "minimal disturbance"
areas, totaling approximately 56 acres. These areas are primarily located along ephemera]
drainages between primary disturbance areas and sedimentation ponds, and could potentially be
impacted by sediment deposition or erosion, and associated maintenance activity.
Coal extraction operations began at Seneca II-W in 1990, and continued until January 2006,
when coal production at Seneca II-W ceased. Over the life of the mine, total coal production,
was 12,069,059 tons. Annual production ranged from a low of 376,700 tons to a maximum
990,300 tons.
During the period of active minining operations, reclamation was conducted concurrently with
mining, with the exception of approved variance areas where backfilling was delayed to
accommodate proposed auger or highwall mining, or other site specific considerations. Due to
the nature of the mining plan and the operational history, the application contains a request for a
variance from the contemporaneous reclamation requirements of Rule 4.14. This request is
discussed further in Section VII of this document. The generalized reclamation sequence that
was followed during active operations is described in the following paragraph.
Topsoil is removed and stockpiled or, when possible, live-handled. Following topsoil removal
the overburden is blasted. Using the dragline, initial box cut spoil is placed onto previously
stripped but unmined ground creating a temporary overburden stockpile with each successive cut
going into the previous pit after coal is removed. The resulting spoils are graded to approximate
original contour, topsoiled and seeded. Permanent postmine drainage channels are constructed in
accordance with approved design specifications. Within scattered designated locations, areas of
one to two acres in size receive concentrated planting and seeding of native shrubs and seeding of
native forbs. Several of the designated areas will also be planted with aspen saplings. Grasses
are not seeded within these locations, in order to minimize competition between the relatively
quick developing and competitive grasses and the slower growing woody plants. A number of
the concentrated tree/shrub areas are to be fenced to protect woody plantings from excessive
browsing by large ungulates. The revegetation plan associated with PR-3 includes a commitment
and detailed design plans for an aspen reestablishment study, which will evaluate the feasibility
of transplanting native aspen saplings with variable soil treatments and irrigation application
rates. If [he study identifies successful approaches, the revegetation plan will be amended in the
future to incorporate the selected practices on remaining areas to be reclaimed.
During operations, raw coal was loaded onto haul trucks in each pit. The trucks travelled along
the permitted haul road to County Road 53. The trucks continued on County Road 53 to the
Seneca II-W Findings Document 17 July 3, 2006
Permit Renewal No. 5