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• 4.06 TOPSOIL 4.06.1 General Requirements As explained in Sections 2.04.3 and 2.04.4, a substantial amount of the area to be used for surface facilities of the Bear No. 3 Portals has been disturbed by previous mining activities. Because of this previous disturbance, the topsoil in the area has been affected by past stockpiling of coal and some partial, uncontrolled removal of topsoil. However, before the disturbance or re-disturbance of the area for the construction of surface facilities for the Bear No. 3 surface facilities, an upper lift of topsoil material will be removed and segregated from other material. Upon removal, soil material will be stockpiled in the locations shown on the Mine Facilities Map (Map 10). 4.06.2 Removal • An upper lift of soil, as classified in Section 2.04.9, will be removed from areas to be affected by the surface facilities incidental to the underground mining activities. The average thickness of 15 inches for the soil in the surface facilities area to be removed can be found in the Legend of the Soils Map (Map 4). Removal techniques for the topsoil are described in Section 2.05.3. Although part of the area has been previously disturbed, the Bear Coal Company does not plan to use overburden material for topsoil substitutes, or as a supplement to topsoil. The Bear Coal Company will remove 15 inches of topsoil before any surface disturbance incidental to the underground mining operations commences. The Bear Coal Company will remove soil material only from areas where surface disturbance is anticipated. This will help eliminate any unnecessary disturbance. Following cessation of the mining activities, the redistribution of soil will be done, but only at a time when the physical and chemical . properties of the soil can be protected from alteration while minimizing potential for erosion. As delineated in Sections 2.05.4 and 2.05.6, a 4.06-1