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<br />reclamation operations and continued until all bonds are released in accordance <br />with Rule 3. Alluvial wells hydrologically above and below the coal loadout will <br />be installed as a result of permit revision no. 1. Monitoring of surface water and <br />alluvial water quantity and quality will occur over the life of the mine. (4.24.4) <br />XVIII. Operations on Prime Farmland <br />No specific approvals are granted under this section. <br />XIX. Mountaintop Removal <br />A. The surface coal mining activities proposed will include the removal of an entire coal <br />seam or seams running through the upper fraction of a mountain, ridge or hill by <br />removing substantially all of the overburden off the bench, and, in portions of the <br />surface mine, creating level plateaus or gently rolling contours that are capable of <br />supporting the proposed postmining agricultural land uses of rangeland and wildlife <br />habitat. The Division therefore fnds the proposed operation meets the definition of <br />mountaintop removal mining as described in Rule 2.06.3(2). <br />B. Reclamation of the surface mine will include the reconstruction of the pre-mining ridge <br />line that trends generally northeast-southwest. The reconstructed ridge line will in <br />places be reduced in elevation from between 10 to 60 feet. However, the reconstructed <br />ridge line will achieve apost-mining surface configuration that maintains the same <br />geomorphic northeast-southwest trend, maintains original watershed basin boundaries, <br />and will in places complement drainage patterns of the surrounding ten•ain, with all <br />highwalls, unreclaimed spoil piles, and unreclaimed refuse piles eliminated. The <br />Division therefore finds that the post-mining topography of the ridge line will be <br />constructed to approximate original contour. <br />C. Mountaintop removal mining activities will include the disposal of spoil into fills <br />immediately adjacent to the surface mine. The tops of these fills will be situated at or <br />below the level ot'the lowest coal seam to be mined. Because the fills will be <br />constructed to elevations greater than approximate original contour, the Division <br />approves a variance from the requirements of Rules 4.14.1 - 4.14.5 to restore the spoil <br />disposal areas to approximate original contour. <br />D. Portions of the regraded backtill, that will be above the lowest coal seam to be mined <br />and immediately uphill from the fills, will be constructed to complement the post- <br />mining topography of the fills. As such, these portions of the re~~raded backfill will <br />also not be reconstructed to approximate original contour. The Division approves a <br />variance from the requirements of Rules 4.14.1 - 4.14.5 to restore these areas to <br />approximate original contour. <br />24 <br />