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Page 2 • • create windrows of woody material, that usually is not a serious problem as it is desirable to leave rough, broken woody materials on the surface to help control erosion, provide shade for seedlings, and increase the microenvironmental diversity. It is most likely that this method will be used in reducing the rock content in rocky soils. Concern A, Part 2: Soil salvage volumes. Response: As I am sure you are aware, determining the volume of salvageable soil, especially where there is zonation between desirable and undesirable soils, is an almost impossible task. Soil does not form layers of uniform thickness that lend themselves to easy calculations. Clearly, the Roygorge soil (the smallest volume on the site both in extent and thickness) is hardly worth considering. As stated in the plan and is typical of this series, there may be small pockets of thicker soil that will be saved, but it would be impossible to find those pockets without an inch by inch soil survey of those areas. Because lower horizons in many of these soils contain alkaline materials they would not be desirable to save and could create serious difficulties in the revegetation. These layers are identifiable by a color shift toward a very light color or even white. Therefore, if by "total available topsoil" you mean soil material that is not alkaline in character then Castle is prepared to "commit to salvage all available topsoil in the area." But if you mean the total soil horizon then Castle cannot commit to that as it would greatly reduce the success of the revegetation program. Such salvage would contaminate good soils with soils that have higher salinity, higher pH, and a potentially adverse SAR. That is counterproductive to the purposes of reclamation as it would hinder achievement of bond release and proper completion of the program and would be contrary to the lease. Concern B: Blasting monitoring. Response: Castle does not intend to monitor blasting. First, because the deposit is relatively thin and brittle blasting force does not need to be intense. Second, because the primary product to be created is large rip rap, intense blasting may very well create rock dimensions that are too small to market for those purposes. Third, there seems little need to monitor the intensity of blasting when there are no structures anywhere near the area that might be affected. Concern G Processing and Hauling Response: We agree that the roadway, as it currently exists, is not suitable for large amounts of truck traffic. But this road was specifically built for truck traffic and it was built by Castle Concrete in the late 60's. It has been used in the past by ABI, the latest permittee, and prior to that it was used very heavily by Green Massman when facing rock from here was being hauled to Pueblo Dam. The road is in disrepair because there has been no maintenance for over 15 years. The plan for upgrading the roadway is to simply grade it and resurface portions of it with a base material. The parts that will be resurfaced will only be those areas where the road surface is currently very rocky. Consideration was given to removal of the rocks that now project through the surface, but that was deemed unnecessary by contractors who are bidding on the upgrade work. The road corridor will not be widened, but must be confined to the existing path by agreement with the land owner, the State of Colorado. Although the actual driving surface may be widened somewhat in some areas, it cannot extend into undisturbed land.