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4.5 POSTMINING LAND USE <br />• All lands disturbed by the Operator will be restored to a beneficial land use compatible with <br />the surrounding landscape. Ali disturbed areas wi11 be reclaimed by vegetation, except for <br />certain roads and the haul road and truck dump site constructed on the Crystal River Ranch <br />and the water treatment system at the No. 1 Mine Site. Comments by the legal owners of <br />record on the postmining land use are included on the following pages. <br />Reclamation of the mine site, as described in Section 4.4 is consistent with the surface <br />owners' plans for postmining land use. Restoration of a productive and aesthetically pleasing <br />appearance will match the use of surrounding lands as unimproved range, once the reclaimed <br />area is self-sustaining and can support grazing. Public access to public lands will be <br />maintained to support recreational activities in the national forest. W ildlife will be allowed free <br />access to the mine site. Local land use programs in Pitkin County only regulate residential <br />subdivision of land. No residential subdivision of the mine site is planned at this time. <br />The water treatment ponds at the No. 1 Mine Site and the portal area that was excavated <br />during 1988 so the mine water seepage could be controlled are permanent features. For this <br />reason the No. 1 Mine Site will have two postmining land uses. One will be unimproved range <br />as explained above. The postmining land use for the water treatment system will be <br />• developed water resources. The Division's rules define developed water resources as use <br />of land for storing water for beneficial uses such as stockponds, irrigation, fire protection, flood <br />control and water supply. The treatment ponds could be considered both treatment ponds <br />and stockponds. Therefore the land owner will realize a beneficial use of the treatment <br />system because it will have a reliable source of water for its cattle operation. Wildlife such <br />as deer and elk, which seasonally use the mine site also benefit from the ponds. <br />A letter from Pitkin County to Minrec, Inc., dated June 28, 2001, located at page 4-98g, <br />indicates the County's approval of the postminng land use of developed water resources. <br />In Garfield County, the loadoui is regulated by the Special Use Permit and zoning regulations <br />currently in force. The long-term reclamation program will restore the affected lands to a <br />condition in compliance with these regulations. The Garfield County Comprehensive Plan is <br />yet to be published, but it is anticipated it will incorporate all existing land use patterns and <br />zoning districts in existence at the time of approval. Section 4.5.2 provides specific details <br />as to how the land will be returned to agricultural use in conformance with existing zoning. <br />A copy of the Special Use Permit for the loadout facility is included as Appendix 4-E. <br />Sections of this permit constitute local government authorization of the proposed use of the <br />land following reclamation. <br />• <br />4-95 7/01 <br />