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1 <br />' 'S <br />,~~ <br /> <br />i <br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />Alternative Reclamation Plan <br />SHB AGRA Project E92-7075 <br />Page 1 <br />' Southdown, Inc. has developed this alternative reclamation plan in response to a request by the <br />Boulder County Parks Department and Land Use staff. The plan was prepared by Dr. David <br />Buckner, Mike Figgs and SHB AGRA staff. The alternative reclamation plan has the following <br />key elements: <br />' 1. The mine area is restored to a prairie grassland ecosystem. <br />2. Approximately 20 acres of created wetlands are planned in the northeast portion <br />' of the mine. <br />3. The maximum acreage of land disturbance at any one time is reduced from 115 <br />' to 95 acres. <br />4. The average annual acreage of disturbance over the 25-year mine life is less than <br />' 65 acres. <br />5. The total acreage disturbed over the life of the mine is reduced from 695 acres to <br />385 acres. <br />6. County Road 47 is relocated in the Fist Valley instead of the West Valley, thus <br />' eliminating all disturbance in the West Valley west of Limestone Ridge. <br />7. Overburden and waste rock are placed back into the mined out areas instead of <br />being used to create completely new landforms in the valley. <br />8. Setbacks from property lines and buffers around active mining and reclamation are <br />greatly increased. <br />The alternative reclamation plan will reduce the acreage of disturbance, dust emissions (because <br />' reclamation equipment is moving far shorter distances), water augmentation needs (because less <br />groundwater is exposed), and potential azchaeological disturbance. 'i he valley will appear much <br />the same as it does today, except that the overall ground surface will be lowered about six feet <br />(because the volume of reclamation material is slightly less than the volume of the mined out <br />area). The six feet deficit will be spread out uniformly over the valley and will be barely <br />noticeable. <br />' The alternative reclamation plan does not have nearly the diversity of the originally proposed <br />' plan. The original plan had 11 types of vegetation communities; the alternative plan has two. <br />Ln A G R A <br />' Earth & Environments/Group <br />