GENERAL50517

• Permit No: C1981026
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 10/29/1981
• Doc Name: Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance
• Permit Index Doc Type: FINDINGS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

3. Environmental factors maq he such that up~,•nrd mobility of sodium does not present
a significant hazard to successful rr_clamntion aC the proposed depth of soil cover
(18-29"). A discussion of this conclusion should be based on a thorough understanding
of plant/soil relationships, and site-specific knowledge of the soil types and their
genesis in North Park.
In order to provide assurance that the sodic hazard is reduced to an acceptable level,
the Division imposes the following stipulation:
WITHIN 120 DAYS OF PERh1IT ISSUANCE, AND PRIOR TO ANY OPERATIOA'S IN PIfASE VII
OTHER THAN TOPSOIL SALVAGE, WYOhfING FUEL COPIPAN}' hfDST DO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
1. PROVIDE A PLAN FOR RECOVER}' OF .SUFFICIENT TOPSOIL h1ATERIAL TO COVER SODZC
OVERBURDEN TO A DEPTH OF TiiREE FEET;
2. PROVIDE A PLAN FOR HANDLING OVERDURDEN WfiI C11 DEMONSTRATES Tf1AT NO MATERIAL
WITH AN SAR OVER 10 IJI LL DE PLACED [JI T1i7lJ 3 FEET OF TF1E SOIL SURFACE. SUCH
A PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE A h1ETlIOD0LOGY BY WHICH W}'Oi-0ING FUEL COMPANY CAN ASSURE
OPERATOR COMPLIANCE;
3. PROVIDE PROOF TiIAT TI1L' REP LACGh1ENT OF 18-29" OF TOPSOIL OVER llZGfl SAR OVER=
BURDEN DOES NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE TILE RZ.SK OF SOIL DEGRADATION OVER
PRE-MINING CONDITIONS.
IF SOLUTION OF THE OVERBURDEN QUALI T}' PR0B LEF7 ECITA7 LS h10DI FICATION OF TIIE
SPECIFIC DETAILS OF OVERBURDEN FIANDLLNG AND STORAGE OR POST-MINING CONFIGURATION
OF THE MINED AREA, THE OPERATOR Sf1ALL PROVIDE TIIE APPROPRIATE REVISIONS TO
THE h1INING AND REC L.AMATION PLAN.
There are presently three topsoil stockpiles of .soil from Pit 1 and two topsoil stock-
piles are planned for the Pit 2 area. Topsoil will hr_ removed from the Pit 2 area
using a combination of trucks, hydraulic shovel., front-end loader and yrader. The
majority of the topsoil. will be stripped during the dzy Svmmer months to avoid
physical degradation of the material. Upon completion of the topsoil stripping, the
stockpiles will be seeded at the first available planting season to reduce erosion.
The applicant has failed to describe the use of topsoil stockpile markers, as required
by 4.02.7. The Division understands, from site inspections, that Wyoming Fuel Company
maintains markers at all topsoil stockpiles which meet regulatory requirements. In
order that the application display the intent of the applicant to comply with Section
4.02.7, the Division imposes the following stipulation:
WYOMING FUEL COMPANY SICA LT, PROVIDE A STATEh1EN'1 IN THE APP F,ICATION WHICIf
INDICATES THAT TOPSOIL MARKERS WILL BE PLI C'ED AT AT.L TOPSOIL STOCKPILES WITH-
IN 30 DAY'S OF PERMIT ISSI/ANCE.
Other problems were noted during the review of rho information submitted. First, Wyoming
Fuel Company has not included any provisions for stripping topsoil from the proposed
sediment pond H4. The results of ground watez- monitoring in Appendix C indicate that
water pumped from the mine pit into the sediment pond will degrade the "soil" in the
pond floor because of high sodium content. The soil type in the proposed pond area
is Unnamed Alluvium. Therefore, Wyoming Fuel Comi~any must strip all available topsoil
from the entire pond area.