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reclamation plan. The Division notes that Pasture Sage was substituted for an equal <br />amount of Small Burnett and Saskatoon Serviceberry was substituted with an equal <br />amount of Douglas Rabbitbrush, as detailed in Table 2.05-8. One difference with the <br />changing of theServiceberry with the Rabbitbrush is that the amount of seed used was <br />decreased from 1.69 pounds/acre to 0.01 pounds/acre. This was due to the number of <br />seeds per pound (25,800 seeds/pound for Serviceberry vs. 782,000 seeds/acre for <br />Rabbitbrush). With the above change, the seeds/acre rate remains roughly the same <br />as that listed in the approved Colowyo seed mix shown in Figure 3-1. This is at least <br />the third year that these two species were substituted. Please provide the Division <br />with a reason for this continued substitution in the Colowyo seed mix. <br />Response: Colowyo continues to substitute Pasture Sage and Douglas Rabbitbrush for Small <br />Burnett and Saskatoon Serviceberry as a result of verbal approval given to Colowyo by the <br />Division. There has been a lack of availability of Small Burnett and Saskatoon Serviceberry seed to <br />incorporate into the approved seed mix. Colowyo would like to ask the Division if they would prefer <br />Colowyo to obtain semiformal approval (in writing, i. e. e-mail) to include in the Annual <br />Reclamation Report when changes are requested and permission granted to the approved seed mix. <br />6. Section 8 details the regraded spoil sampling as required in the PAP.The spoil <br />sampling data is contained in Exhibit 8-3 of the report. More specifically, the 2007 <br />dample data is contained on Page 8-8 of Exhibit 8-3. Four sample locations, J-21, I- <br />20,1-21 and I-22, show slightly elevated levels for SAR (all above 5) but well below <br />the suspect level (of 15) that triggers additional sampling and possible remedial <br />actions. Colowyo did not, however, include a map or plate that shows the locations <br />of the samples. Please provide the Division with a map or plate that shows the <br />locations of the 2007 overburden samples. <br />Response: Colowyo utilizes a working map for internal tracking of the locations of regraded <br />overburden samples from year to year. The Division is welcome to review this map at any time <br />during its monthly inspections of the mine site. <br />8. Section 11 of the Annual Reclamation Report contains information regarding the <br />Colowyo Mine's topsoil volume inventory. Exhibit 11-1 details the areas that have <br />been reclaimed and the replacement volumes and calculated depths. Exhibit 11-2 <br />details topsoil stockpile volumes (including stripping and replacement activities). <br />Figure 11,3 details toposoil movement during the 2007 reporting year. All of this <br />information indicates Colowyo is triping all availiable topsoil resources and that they <br />will have adequate topsoil resources for their reclamation forward. These <br />replacement depths are calculated depths. The Division would like to know if <br />Colowyo has dug any test holes in the field to verify replacement depths. <br />Additionally, there is one text error on page 11-5 of the ARR. The "note" below <br />Figure 11-3 refers to Exhibit 7. This Exhibit has been renamed Exhibit 5A in <br />the ARR. Please correct the reference in the "note" to the correct Exhibit 5A. <br />Response: Colowyo monitors replacement depths by the strategic placement of stakes/markers <br />inserted into the ground to a certain depth in relation to the agreed depth of topsoil particular to <br />that area. Colowyo will continue to manage replacement depths via this method pending approval <br />of TR-72. In 2007, Colowyo used an accurate topsoil load count to determine the total volume of <br />topsoil to be used per polygon and believes that this is the most accurate process that can be used to <br />continue to monitor the replacement of topsoil. Colowyo has changed the text error found on page