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• Old Shop Area (EC Village)
<br />• • Utah Tract
<br />• Miscellaneous Areas
<br />• Multiple Service Buildings
<br />No. 5 Portal Area
<br />The No. 5 Portal Area was initially disturbed in the early 1970's, prior to the amending of Federal laws and regulations
<br />governing mining operations. As such, the surface facilities were initially developed in a manner inconsistent with
<br />today's mining and reclamation practices. Specifically, during the development of the portal area, topsoil was not
<br />salvaged from the site.
<br />The deficiency in topsoil was overcome by salvaging additional topsoil during the construction of the drainage and
<br />sediment control system. In addition, up to 24 inches of topsoil was salvaged during the recent construction of a new
<br />shop, the wastewater treatment facility, and the No. 5 and No. 6 mine water handling system. Please refer to Table 58,
<br />Topsoil Replacement - No. 5 Portal and General Area found in Section 2.03.3 Operation Plan, Permit Area, for topsoil
<br />replacement volumes. The topsoil salvaged during these most recent construction activities is presented in Table 68,
<br />No. 5 Portal -Recent Topsoil Salvaged Volumes.
<br />The reclamation of the No. 5 portal area will follow the general steps outlined at the beginning of this section, except
<br />as modified, as follows. All structures and facilities will be removed from the site. This will include, but not be
<br />limited to the removal of the following: railroad tracks, scale house, coal silo, coal conveying system, rotary breaker,
<br />screening plant, reclaim tunnel, all offices, shop/warehouse, laboratory, bathhouses, rock dust tanks, electrical
<br />substation, fencing, and the 48-inch overland conveyor, and associated structures. Mobile trailers, including the
<br />administration office trailer, which were used as offices, have been transported from the site. The No. 5 portals have
<br />been permanently sealed by placing an MSHA approved seal in each of the entries comprising the portal and
<br />backfilling a portion of the portal cut. RAG EC did not place any toxic or combustible material in the portal seals.
<br />The use of non-toxic, non-combustible material will insure that contamination of ground water does not occur. To
<br />achieve final reclamation, the remaining portal area will be backfilled as per the following paragraph.
<br />The remainder of the No. 5 portal faceup highwall will be backfilled with the fill material obtained from the railroad
<br />track bed, pad areas around the portal entries, railcar loading/unloading ramps, and any remaining excess material
<br />from the No. 9 portal excavation. The backfilled highwalls will be sloped at approximately 3H:1 V. Blending to the
<br />adjacent native topography, as well as safety issues, may require minor modifications to this slope specification.
<br />Trucks and front-end loaders, graders and dozers will be used in the backfilling operation. Compaction of the backfill
<br />material will be obtained during the backfill process by the tmcks, dozers, and graders traveling over the backfilled
<br />area. Final grading of the area will be accomplished in a manner, which will leave the surface in a roughened
<br />condition. Dozers and graders will conduct final grading. The fill material used in the construction of the 210,000-ton
<br />coal stockpile pad will be spread evenly over the site or used as backfill material for the No. 5 portal area to achieve
<br />the planned final topography.
<br />The entire facility area will be retopsoiled with approximately 6 inches of topsoil or best available plant growth
<br />medium. The redistributed topsoil will be analyzed to determine its fertility and to determine if amendments are
<br />required. The replaced topsoil will be analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. As shown on the
<br />Reclamation Plan Map (Map 29), the No. 5 portal area will be revegetated to two- (2) land uses. These are 1)
<br />rangeland/wildlife habitat and 2) pastureland (hayland). Sloped areas, such as the No. 5 portal faceup, will be returned
<br />to rangeland/wildlife habitat and therefore, will be seeded with the rangeland/wildlife seed mixture. The flatter areas
<br />will be returned to a pastureland (hayland) land use. Therefore, the topsoil areas will be reseeded with the pastureland
<br />(hayland) seed mixture.
<br />• It is anticipated that seeding will be accomplished through the use of a rangeland drill. If it is necessary to broadcast
<br />seed, the seeding rate will be doubled. A straw mulch applied at the rate of two tons per acre will be applied over the
<br />MR 04-45 2.05-25 Revised 01/22/04
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