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Mr. Gregg Squire Reclamation Specialist Division of Minerals & Geology August 5, 1993 Page 3 Summlt County Letter The County comments are primarily concerned with the proposed reclamation of the site. We would agree that the site at one time was pristine and probably very good wildlife habitat; but we do not agree that it is the operator's responsibility to restore it to a natural pre-mining condition. There is no topsoil left on the site and it is unreasonable to expect Alpine Rock to import topsoil for reclamation. We will commit to regrading the site with some care given to contouring such that it is not a "flat table top". We have also agreed to try some reseeding to get some vegetation established on the site. We believe the removal of the dredge piles to within a few feet of groundwater will encourage revegetation. We also have committed to changing the reclamation from rangeland to wildlife habitat. The wetlands issues we feel are fairly clear. The Operator has committed to staying out of the stream channel and it is obvious the sand and gravel dredge piles are not a hydric soil, do not support any wetland vegetation, and the groundwater table is well below the 18 inches normally used in determining wetlands. The Operator intends to avoid wetlands and will commit to this in the permit. The operator will delineate the wetland in phases to comply with this avoidance. We believe the water quality concern with regard to phosphorus loading is probably not germane to this mining operation. The County has acknowledged the fact that there is no topsoil on the site. Phosphorus comes from disturbed topsoil where this nutrient can be found. Sand and gravel does not hold phosphorous. The proposed grading plan states and shows that a small berm will be graded up along the perimeter of the stream channel to specifically reduce erosion and runoff from the mine site into the stream The proposed mining operation does not have any direct discharge to the Swan River and as such does comply with the Clean Water Act.