PERMFILE123428

• Permit No: C1981044A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/31/2004
• Doc Name: pages 2.05-1 through 2.05-66
• Section_Exhibit Name: 2.05 Operation and Reclamation Plans
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

2.05.4 RECLAMATION PLAN
i RAG EC has consolidated all of its existing and proposed facilities, operations, and reclamation activities into this
permit submittal. There will be two (2) underground mines (namely No. 5 mine and No. 6 mine) which will be
serviced by two (2) portal entries. These portals being the No. 5 portals and the No. SA portals. Details of the mine
operation and mine accesses have been previously discussed in Section 2.05.3 Operations Plan-permit area. Previous
mining was undertaken under provisions of state permits and are currently in a state of reclamation.
The final reclamation plans for the Williams Fork Strip Pit can be found in Exhibit 24, Williams Fork Strip Pit
Reclamation Plans. The backfilling, grading, topsoiling, and seeding of the Williams Fork Strip Pit has been
completed and RAG EC is waiting for the time period to expire for requesting final bond release. The town loadout
has been completely reclaimed and the bond released for this area.
Reclamation Plan - Methodolo~y and Maior Steps
The following is a discussion of the general sequence of events, which will be followed during the reclamation of
various disturbed areas. Site specific plans for each major area will be presented later in this section. The major
reclamation steps are as follows:
• Removal of structures and facilities
• Sealing of underground openings and covering of coal seams
• Sealing of monitoring wells
• Backfilling and grading
• Redistribution of topsoil
• Revegetation to appropriate land use
• Removal of Structures and Facilities.
The first major step in the reclamation plan is removal of all structures and facilities. For each portal area, as well as
the coal handling and storage facility, all fans, electrical substations, conveyors, and all other structures associated
with the mining operation will be removed from the mine site. At the present time, these structures and facilities are
planned to be dismantled and placed in the abandoned underground openings prior to sealing of the portals. Also, at
the present time, the facilities projected to remain after the closure of the mining operation are the main haul road
leading from State Highway l3 to the No. 5 ports! and old Highway 13 which provides access to the No. SA portals
and also a portion of road at Williams Fork Strip Pit. Old Highway 13 may be returned to Moffat County. The roads
to remain after mining are shown on Map 29.
Sealing of Underground Openings and Covering of Coal Seams.
The next step in the reclamation plan is the sealing of all mine entrances and covering of all coal seams exposed
during the mining operations. All mine openings will be sealed in accordance with approved MSHA plans and
regulations. This will involve backfilling and sealing, through the use of approved seals, to close all poRals and
entrances to the underground areas. Atypical seal plan is presented on Figure 57, Typical Portal Seal Plan. All
exposed coal seams will be covered with a minimum of four (4) feet of inert material.
Sealing of Monitoring Wells
When monitoring wells are no longer required at the mine they will be sealed in accordance with Section 4.07.
Likewise, any monitoring well that is to be mined through will be sealed in accordance with Section 4.97 prior to
mining through the well.
)2`L'b~llu~ 1~1;41~ ~ ~ LlL2
MidTerm Response 2.05-23 ~~ 33 Revised 12/05/01