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loadout site were granted Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III bond releases in 1993, but were not <br />removed from the permit azea. The 63.2 disturbed-azea acres are composed of 47.6 disturbed-azea <br />acres at the mine site and 15.6 disturbed-azea acres at the loadout site. Associated with these 63.2 <br />disturbed-area acres are 63.2 affected-area acres. These 63.2 affected-azea acres aze associated <br />solely with surface disturbances. None of the 15.6 affected acres at the loadout site were <br />undermined. By amendment to this SL-OS Application, 4.3 disturbed-area acres of the 47.6 <br />disturbed-area acres at the mine site were removed from this Application. This proposed <br />decision, therefore, applies to 43.3 disturbed-azea/affected-area acres at the mine site and 15.6 <br />disturbed-azea/affected-area acres at the loadout site, for a total of 58.9 disturbed-azea/affected- <br />azea acres within the current Permit. <br />A complete Phase I bond release was approved in 1988 for demolition, retention of permanent <br />structures, backfi(ling, and grading of disturbed azeas. Subsequently, however, mine water seeps <br />developed at Portal 1. A 2.2-acre area was re-disturbed and re-bonded to accommodate a mine <br />water dischazge collection system and treatment facility in 1988. In 1992, these facilities were <br />permitted as permanent (long time) structures, and the postmining land use of the area in which <br />these facilities are located was approved as Developed Water Resources. In 1995, mine water <br />dischazges from Portal 3 were diverted to the treatment facility. Currently, the Developed Water <br />Resources postmining land use applies to 4.1 acres. An equivalent Phase I bond release was <br />approved for the 4.1 acres and the permanent facilities of the Developed Water Resources land <br />use azea in SL-04 in 2001. A Partial Phase I bond release was also approved in SL-04 for certain <br />sediment control facilities reclaimed or approved for permanent retention. By the end of 2001, <br />reclamation of the Stoney Ridge Fan Shaft Road Bridge, the bases of four former water- <br />monitoring flumes, closure of two water-monitoring piezometers, and removal of signs and <br />mazkers was still required. Bond was also retained for reseeding, and for cleaning of sediment <br />from some ponds. In 2002, the Stoney Ridge Fan Shaft Road Bridge was permitted for <br />permanent retention, and this bridge is included in this proposed decision for equivalent Phase I <br />bond release. <br />Reclamation of the flume sites and the water-monitoring piezometers is proposed to not be <br />subject to phased bond releases; however, bond is still required in Rules appropriate thereto. <br />Further, phased bond releases aze not typically associated with the removal of Permit boundary <br />signs and disturbed azea markers; however, retention of bond for these activities is proposed in <br />this decision by separate line item. The Division proposes retention of bond for these reclamation <br />liabilities, which could be eligible for a future fmal bond release(s). <br />Thus, with the Phase I bond release for the Stoney Ridge Fan Shaft Road Bridge proposed by this <br />Application, the remaining 63.2 acres disturbed within the current permit at the North Thompson <br />Creek Mines and Loadout, including the 4.1-acre Developed Water Resources azea, will have <br />been granted Phase I bond release. <br />Phase II bond release was approved in 2001 (SL-04) for all the azeas of reclaimed disturbance <br />previously approved for Phase I. As the permanent Developed Water Resources land use was in <br />SL-O5, C-81-025, Mazch 24, 2003 <br />Page 5 of 26 Pages <br />