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amended. Further refinements of the final reclamation plan for the South Portals and RSRDA, <br />including amended permanent drainage plans, were approved via technical revisions prior to initiation <br />of final reclamation in 2002. RSRDA slopes and terrace drains were reclaimed in 2002, and a new <br />upper diversion beginning just above the portal highwall and extending to the south around the <br />RSRDA was constructed. The wash plant and associated facilities were removed, however various <br />additional facilities remained on the lower and upper benches. Concrete seals were installed in the <br />South Portals during 2000, and the portals out-by the seals were backfilled in the fall of 2007. <br />The South Portal Area reclamation plan was again modified by approval of PR-3, in July 2007; <br />reclamation was initiated in September 2007 and was completed in 2008. In PR-3, SCC requested a <br />steep slope variance from approximate original contour (AOC) for the mine bench and adjacent areas, <br />including the steep rock cut slopes created during bench construction, and proposed Access Road 1 A, <br />which was constructed to provide access to the bench area following reclamation. The purpose of the <br />AOC variance is to accommodate an alternative "Industrial or Commercial" land use. A local <br />agricultural business, Providence Place, Inc. (PPI), has contracted to purchase the Roadside South <br />Portals Area upon approval of PR-3. The alternative land use plan allows for retention of the shop, <br />warehouse and parking areas on the upper bench. These facilities are used by PPI for equipment and <br />supply storage and maintenance. The cafeteria, lab, septic tank system, and associated parking and <br />travel areas on the lower level have also been retained for future use. The buildings will be used as a <br />seasonal fruit stand and a packing/cooling shed. The property has been leased by PPI since 2005, and <br />use of the buildings as described has been on-going since that time. The fruit stand has been operated <br />under the name "Kokopelli Produce". The top of the RSRDA will be used as an equipment and <br />material storage area in the future. <br />In order to accommodate the alternative postmining land use and allow for retention of buildings, <br />roads, parking, and storage areas needed for the alternative use, the backfilling and grading plan was <br />altered by approval of PR-3. The revised postmining topography for the South Portals Area is <br />depicted on Exhibit 6C, and amended cross sections on Exhibit 26. The specific area to which the <br />AOC variance will apply, and the larger area to be used for the alternative "Industrial or Commercial" <br />postmining land use, are delineated on Exhibit 6C. Please see Section B.VIII of the Proposed <br />Decision and Findings of Compliance for PR-3 dated July 30, 2007, for findings specific to the <br />approval of the Steep Slope Variance from Approximate Original Contour. Please also refer to <br />Section B.X of the PR-3 Findings of Compliance, for findings specific to the proposed approval of the <br />alternative "Industrial or Commercial" postmining land use at the South Portal facilities area. <br />A portion of the South Portal that is considered "Active Use" area is delineated on Exhibit 6C-A. The <br />"Active Use" areas will not be revegetated; non-active use portions of the alternative land use area <br />(such as Access Road 1 backfill slopes, Access Road 1 A fill slopes, and highwall backfill areas) will <br />be revegetated to provide a stabilizing vegetative cover, but the alternative land use vegetated areas <br />will not be required to meet the specific success criteria applicable to reclaimed Wildlife Habitat <br />postmining land use areas. <br />Within PR-3, SCC identified a material deficit for construction of Access Road 1-A and elimination of <br />the highwall at the South Portal area. Material to compensate for the projected deficit would be <br />obtained from a low hill located within the Unit Train Loadout (UTL) disturbed area. Borrow of the <br />material from the UTL site would remove the crown of the hill, lowering the hill by approximately 10 <br />feet. This proposed minor reduction in the elevation of the hill is depicted on revised Exhibit 11 C <br />(Unit Train Loadout Facility Post Mining Topography). The modification does not significantly <br />Permit Revision No. 4 38 February 3, 2009