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• <br />• <br />reclamation. <br />Aquifer Impacts <br />Sec. 2.04.7 of the Permit states that the overburden, coal and underburden zones all have their <br />own distinct aquifers. <br />Drill Hole Abandonment <br />The holes will be sealed with a pelletized bentonite product to ten feet above the static water level. <br />The pellets will be adequately sized to allow complete backfilling of the hole below the ten foot <br />above water line without bridging. The top of the hole will be plugged with concrete from 3 feet to <br />13 feet below ground level. The holes will not be developed as water wells. <br />The method of reclaiming coal exploration holes drilled within the permit boundary for holes drilled <br />from 1994 through 2004 has been by mining. However, during the mid-term review process <br />tracking down which holes had been mined through and when they had been mined through was <br />difficult and time consuming. Western Fuels decided to change the drill hole reclamation method, <br />with concurrence of DRMS, to plug the new exploration holes "on cycle" or at the time the holes <br />are drilled. The 2005 exploration holes (holes actually drilled in Spring 2006) were plugged in this <br />fashion. Following the plugging and abandonment of the 2005 holes, the three abandonmentforms <br />typically filled out for holes drilled under Notices of Intent (NOI's) were completed and submitted <br />to DRMS. Mike Boulay of DRMS visited the site on 6/7/06 and verified that the 2005 drill hole <br />reclamation had been satisfactorily completed. These holes have been included in a bond release <br />request of early February 2007. Additionally, in a bond review meeting between Western Fuels and <br />DRMS, on 1/30/07, an understanding was reached that henceforth, all coal exploration holes within <br />the permit will be drilled under "Notices of Intent" (NOI's) instead of as "Minor Revisions" to the <br />permit. <br />The following sections show information for the drilling programs conducted in each year. At the <br />end of this section are summary tables showing the status of holes drilled. <br />• xEV~sEO FEB zoos Attachment 2.05.3(3)-10-4 <br />