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A number of preventative measures can be instituted to "head off" or rectify potential failures. These <br />measures can include: <br />• • Relocation <br />• Design <br />• Water management <br />Relocation. This project is unique in that only limited options are available to relocate the haul road. <br />However, SCC sees no logical reason to consider realignment options since all indications are that the <br />area is stable now. Relocating Haul Road B Extension, to be initially used to remove the coal from the <br />"neck" area of Section 17, is not practical or operationally feasible. Once the road has been <br />established for coal removal, it would provide no environmental or operational benefit to relocate it to <br />a differenx alignment. Conversely, it would require additional disturbance and potential revision of the <br />permit boundary. As everyone knows this requires significant time delays, which is not an option for <br />SCC. <br />Design. As shown on mapping and through observation, the "neck" area of Section 17 has had the <br />topsoil removed, thereby "unloading" the area which serves to reduce or eliminate further sliding. The <br />haul road has been designed to include construction and maintenance of ditches to provide positive <br />drainage along the entire length of the road. <br />• Water Management. Water is a major factor in most landslides or areas of potential surficial <br />instability. Proper drainage is essential in correcting or eliminating slope failures. Surface drainage <br />within the potentially unstable area can serve to facilitate drying out of the material and therefore <br />reduce the chances of further movement. In the "neck" area of Section 17, where topsoil has been <br />removed, water was not observed except as rivulets in response io snowmeli/rainfall. However, <br />surface water runoff will be controlled and positive drainage maintained along the proposed haul road <br />to eliminate future saturation of materials. Mining in this area will tend to further reduce the potential <br />for saturation of surficial materials, providing for direct discharge of any shallow groundwater from <br />adjacent areas to the pit excavation. <br />Conclusion. The area to the north of the "neck" area of Section 17, included in the area mapped as <br />Qols, has been disturbed for a number of years and contains an electrical substation and Topsoil <br />Stockpile C. Since the topsoil has been removed (1995/1996) from the neck area, no instability or <br />movement has been observed in the area. No significant active or recognizable instabilities were <br />observed during the topsoil removal in the "neck" area in the fall of 1998. Topsoil Stockpile H has not <br />experienced any movement during the spring of 1999 lone of the wettest springs in the last several <br />yearsl. <br />In summary, SCC believes that "unloading" through topsoil removal has provided additional stability to <br />the area and the area will be "safe" for mining and the haul road location. However, SCC will agree to <br />continue to monitor the conditions within the "neck" as the area is mined. <br />PR-02 12 Revised 03/05 <br />