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- Dragline and coal haulage access must be maintained until all coal is removed. <br />- Final pits 1 aooroximately 2 400 kl to be backfilled and straded in 2006. • <br />SCC will utilize the backfilling and grading sequence shown on Exhibit 19-1A, Backfilling and Grading Plan, <br />and the associated reclamation schedule to achieve the postmine topography presented on Exhibit 20-2. <br />Annual projections for areas to be graded are based upon certain considerations. First, appro>amately two <br />spoil rows are normally graded simultaneously once the pit configurations become regular to achieve the <br />desired postmining land configuration and to effedively maintain topographic continuity between grading <br />sequences. The number of spoils associated with inegular bax cuts, certain inside or outside curves, short <br />pits, fadlity areas, and haulage ramps may exceed four spoil rows to fadlitate grading. Second, the time <br />when grading of spedfic spoils can begin is based upon excavation cycle times and pit configuration. <br />Rough backfilling and grading will be kept within four spoil ridges and within 180 days, except as discussed <br />above. Cycle times are dependent upon factors such as pit configurations, excavator performance, and <br />customer demand: Third, once grading begins, the number of acres graded annually in a given pit is <br />approximately equal to the number of acres disturbed annually. In certain circumstances, this <br />generalization may not apply bepuse of spoil matedal needed to achieve the designed postmihing <br />landform. For example, the backfilling and grading of box cut spoil, final highwalls, and deep ramps • <br />typically require the movement of large volumes of spoil for great distances and requires up to Avo years <br />after coal removal for final grading. Also, certain box cut spoil areas (where box cut material is spoiled on <br />recoverable coal) will be temporarily ungradeable until the recoverable coal is stripped. <br />All acres graded in a given year are projected to be topsoiled and seeded as soon as possible based on the <br />redamation timetable, and wilt represent redaimed aces in Table t9-t. Soil replacement will be completed <br />within one year following final grading, provided the area is not being used for facility or monitoring-related <br />adivities (i.e., items such as, but not limited to ramps, deadhead routes, light use roads, haul roads, ponds, <br />drainages, tliversions, boneyards, office, or shop areas). If final grade is achieved during tall or winter <br />months, soil will be redistributed the following summer or fall to accommodate fall seeding. When final <br />grade is accomplished during spring or summer months, soil will be redistributed by fall to accommodate <br />fall seeding. <br />The most significant disturbance is advance topsoil removal, which must be completed by November ~ of <br />each year in order to allow the overburden removal operation to conbnue during the winter and wet spring <br />months. The efficient removal of topsoil at Yoast is considered to be virtually impossible during the six- <br />month period from November 1 to May 1 of any given year. Consequently, at the end of any given year, • <br />approximately one-third of the coal acreage to be mined during the next year will have been disturbed by <br />topsoil removal activities. The total annual disturbed acreage figures in the table include the coal areas <br />mined and the advance topsoil removed areas, as well as the othgr disturbances including spoil areas, <br />PR-02 6 Revised 10/05 <br />