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<br />concurrently. A truck and shovel operation will remove the <br />overburden and parting material to a previously mined area to be <br />backfilled. Hackfilled material will be placed to minimize effects <br />on postmining vegetation and ground water, minimize off-site <br />effects and support the approved postmining land use. Postmining <br />slopes will not be uniform but will approximate the general nature <br />of the premining topography. <br />All major drainages that are disturbed by mining activities are to <br />be reclaimed to approximate the premining configuration and to <br />blend in with the undisturbed drainage above and below the area to <br />be reclaimed. The drainage channels will be designed with gently <br />sloping banks that are stabilized with vegetation and will safely <br />pass the 10 year, 24 hour event. <br />Nucla Road 5 will be reconstructed to county road standards and <br />culverts that will pass the pass the appropriate storm event will <br />be placed as needed. <br />OBBERVATIONB AND FINDINGB <br />An on the ground inspection was performed on April 23, 1996 to <br />verify that the conditions of the permit and bond release <br />application were met. Reclamation activities for the bond release <br />area took place at various times between 1991 through 1995. <br />New Horizon Mine 1 Area, Rice Tract: <br />On Auqust 9, 1991, the Division approved a change in the postmining <br />topography that significantly differed from the original contour of <br />the area. Western Fuels took over operations of the mine from <br />Peabody in July, 1992, and performed reclamation activities <br />according to the reclamation plan. The existing contour of the <br />Rice Tract area now conforms to the approved postmining contour <br />map. All highwalls were reclaimed and the permanent postmining <br />drainage was reestablished to the approved design. The result of <br />the drainage reclamation blends with offsite drainage patterns. <br />New Horizon Mine 2 Area: <br />The postmining configuration of this area closely resembles the <br />original contour and drainage patterns. The reconstructed Nucla <br />Road 5 meets the county rules and is far superior to the original <br />Road 5. As far as backfilling and grading, and the reconstruction <br />of drainages, this site meets all of the Rules and permit <br />requirements. <br />Summary and Conclusions <br />