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seeded area, and either crimped in or tackified to the surface. <br />• A small 1.5 acre area {located in the SE comer of Lot 21, Section 31,T. 6 N., R, 91 W., 6°i PM) near the western end <br />of the No. 5 Portal faceup highwall will be the first of these areas to undergo reclamation activities which would be <br />planned and performed so as to substantially satisfy permanent reclamation, while still leaving some option for future <br />use if needed. This area will undergo such activities per the above specifications, during the 1 ~` quarter of 2004. Fill <br />material will be harvested from the pad areas around the portal entries; more specifically from the small pad extension <br />located on west the side of the coal stockpile area. As the pad area is being excavated, collection ditch SD-1 will be <br />maintained and/or moved as necessary to assure that proper drainage and sediment control continues to be provided <br />for the remaining coal stockpile pad area. <br />As the shoulder of the pad area is relocated (retreating nearer to the coal stockpile stacking tube), the newly excavated <br />area will also be graded to the approved postmine topography, topsoiled, seeded, and mulched. These areas will be <br />blended to and become a part of the existing adjacent SAE. Temporary sediment control will be used, where <br />appropriate, to protect the existing SAE until vegetation is sufficiently established on the new SAE areas. <br />After bond is released from the No. 5 portal area, the sediment ponds will be removed. Topsoil, which was <br />salvaged from the pond areas, will be used to reclaim the ponds. The ponds will be graded to blend into the natural <br />topography and seeded with the pastureland (hayland) seed mixture. <br />No. SA Portal Areas <br />The No. SA portal was developed off a highwall from an abandoned surface strip mine. The previous surface mining <br />predated the present laws and regulations. As such, the manner in which the mining was conducted was quite <br />different from today's mining standards, No topsoil was salvaged for future reclamation work at the time this area was <br />affected. To overcame the topsoil deficiency, RAG EC conducted an overburden-sampling program to determine if <br />• any zone of the overburden would serve as a better plant gowth media than other zones. The overburden-sampling <br />plan was developed in consultation with the CMLRD. The sampling plan was to determine the physical and chemical <br />characteristics of the overburden. The resuhs of the overburden-sampling plan are contained in Exhibit 27, No. SA <br />Portal Overburden Sampling Results. The results indicated that the top six inches of overburden could be removed <br />and stockpiled for later use as a plant growth media. <br />The above discussion was a brief review of the history of the No. SA portal area and was presented to give an <br />understanding of the unusual conditions existing at the sight. <br />The following is a discussion of the reclamation plan developed for the No. SA portal area: <br />Al] surface structures and facilities will be removed from the site. It is currently planned to dismantle the facilities and <br />place the unsalvageable material in the No. SA and No. 6 underground workings near the portal entries. This will <br />include but not be limited to, the removal of the following: ventilafion fans, multi-servicing building, electrical <br />substations, fuel island, compressor building and any materials stockpiled for servicing the mine such as timber or <br />cinderblocks. <br />Upon completion of the removal of the facilities and structures, the portal entries will be sealed according to the <br />approved MSHA plan. It is planned to use concrete from the dismantled coal silo and/or cinderblocks from the <br />dismantled fuel island and compressor building as a seal for the mine entries. No toxic or combustible material will <br />be used as sealing material. The use of the previously mentioned material does not present any potential for <br />contamination of ground water. <br />The portal faceup area will be backfilled with the material which surrounds the area. The post-mining topography of <br />• the area is presented on the Reclamation Plan Map (Map 29). Upon completion of the backfilling operation, the plant <br />growth media will be redistributed over the area. The plant growth media will remain in place until it is used in <br />reclaiming the site. The media has a vegetation cover, which provides some protection from erosion. Also, no <br />MR 04-45 2.05-26 Revised 01/22/04 <br />