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1. The Division finds that activities proposed by the applicant will not interrupt, <br />discontinue, or preclude farming on the alluvial valley floors that are irrigated or <br />naturally subirrigated, except for small areas which may provide negligible support <br />for the farm's agricultural production (4.24.3(1)) and 2.06.8(5)(a)(I)). <br />The proposed activities will not materially damage the quantity or quality of water in <br />the surface or ground water system described above (4.24.3(3) and 2.06.8(5)(a)(ii)). <br />The proposed activities will comply with the requirements of the Act and the <br />Regulations with respect to alluvial valley floors (2.06.8(5)(a)(iii)). <br />The operator has obtained specific permit approval to conduct surface coal mining <br />and reclamation operations within an alluvial valley floor (4.24.3(4)(b) and <br />2.06.8(5)(b)(I)(B)). <br />Therefore, the operations within a specific geographic area may continue despite their <br />proximity to an alluvial valley floor. The specific geographic area has been <br />delineated as East Salt Creek. <br />Surface coal mining and reclamation operations will be conducted to preserve the <br />essential hydrologic functions of alluvial valley floors outside the permit area and to <br />reestablish the essential hydrologic functions of alluvial valley floors within the <br />affected area throughout the mining and reclamation process (4.24.2). <br />2. An environmental monitoring system shall be installed, maintained, and operated by <br />the permittee on all alluvial valley floors during surface coal mining and reclamation <br />operations and continued until all bonds are released in accordance with Rule 3 <br />(4.24.4). <br />XIII. Operations on Steep Slopes <br />The Division had originally proposed to approve a variance from meeting approximate <br />original contour for reclaimed areas. Various subsequent revisions to the operations and <br />reclamation plans (TR's 10, 11, 12, and 16) resulted in modifications that eliminate the <br />applicability of the steep slope variance. The reclamation plan as approved in RN-05 <br />achieves approximate original contour, and the Steep Slope Variance finding has as a result <br />been removed from this findings document. For a more detailed discussion, please refer to <br />the Steep Slope Variance section of the Division's August 10, 2000 Mid-Term Review for <br />the Munger Canyon Mine. References to Steep Slope Variances from approximate original <br />contour have been removed from the application. <br />44