2007-11-16_REVISION - C1981041 (6)

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Contour, and to Section B.X of this document, for findings specific to proposed approval of the alternative "Industrial or Commercial" postmining land use. There are no plans for retention of highwalls. Refuse areas will be compacted and graded to final design contours and covered with the required thickness of non-toxic, non-combustible material (24" on CRDA-2, 18" on RSRDA, and CRDA-1). This cover thickness includes topsoil. Temporary roads will be reclaimed when no longer needed for access during reclamation activities. All roads will be reclaimed with the exception of roads approved for the postmining land use (listed in Section B.I. of this document). Roads will be ripped, cuts and fills returned to approximate original contour, and the entire surface regraded. Topsoil will be redistributed approximately 6" thick on all reclaimed refuse disposal areas, the North Portal facilities area, and the Cameo Borrow Area No. 2. Portions of areas which were disturbed prior to any reclamation requirements and from which no topsoil was salvaged, including the South Portal area, and the Unit Train Loadout will be surfaced with at least 6 inches of the best available material on site following removal of coaly material. Disturbed areas will be drill seeded or hydroseeded with the seedmixes listed in Table 14-2 of the permit application. Because of the low precipitation and saline and sodic soils, revegetation will be difficult. However, with intensive management, the permittee should be able to revegetate the disturbed area with a diverse, effective, and permanent vegetation cover similar to the surrounding area. Utilization of adapted plant species will aid the success of vegetation reestablishment. Results of revegetation efforts conducted since the mid 1990's at various permit area locations have been mixed, with some areas exhibiting diverse stands dominated by seeded grasses and shrubs, and other areas characterized by poor perennial cover, low diversity, or a significant cheatgrass component. The operator has conducted limited inter-seeding treatments within areas of poor establishment on the lower benches of CRDA-2 and at the North Decline, and has re-treated small areas of poor establishment at the South Fan and North Portal area. Modifications have been incorporated into the revegetation plan over the course of operations based on monitoring results and observation, in order to enhance the potential for success. Such modifications have included adjustments to the seedmixes and more aggressive seedbed roughening treatments for steep slope broadcast seeding areas, and efforts to suppress cheatgrass competition through herbicidal suppression and interseeding. Current Reclamation Status Prior to cessation of coal extraction in December 1999, final reclamation activity had been limited to the lower benches of the CRDA-1 and CRDA-2 refuse disposal areas (1994), and certain ancillary facility areas including the North Decline (1991-1993), South Lease exploration drill sites and roads (1985/1986), and Northwest Intake Portal (1993). The South Fan facility area and associated borrow area and access road, and the 2 West Portal disturbed area was reclaimed in 2000 and 2001. Final reclamation including structural demolition and removal, backfilling and grading, topsoiling, and revegetation began on a large scale in 2001/2002. As of November 2007, final reclamation has been largely completed at a number of additional major facility areas including CRDA-1 and CRDA-2 refuse areas, RSRDA refuse area slopes, the North Portal facility area, Cameo Soil Borrow Areas CBA-1 and CBA-2, the Roadside Soil Borrow Area, and the overland conveyor corridor, including the section of conveyor that had been suspended over the Colorado River. The major facility areas where significant reclamation work remains to be done include the South Portal Facilities, where facilities removal, grading, drainage construction and revegetation activities are currently Permit Renewal No. 5 14 November 16, 2007