2009-02-26_PERMIT FILE - M2009018 (10)

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Exhibit I & J - Soils & Vegetation Information For clarity, topsoil is generally regarded as the plow layer (upper six inches) on agricultural soils, or the A-1 soil profile horizon otherwise. The solum, or soil includes the topsoil plus all other material above the regolith of the parent rock and generally no deeper than the depth of rooting of perennial plants or which otherwise meets the definition of soil. One soil differs from another soil by its unique properties and characteristics (such as profile horizon development, structure, texture, color, percent organic matter, chemical composition, etc.) and is identified as such by soil scientists, and described in NRCS Soil Survey documents. Soil salvage will commence with the removal of the surface layer of soil to a depth of 6.0± to 12.0± inches average. Additional depths of soil will be removed in like manner until commercially viable overburden and aggregate are reached. Soil will be removed primarily with scrappers. To minimize the undesirable effects of soil blowing and loss, and to avoid damage to the soil resource via compaction, soil will be stripped wherever possible when soil is moist, and not dry or wet. Since the soils of the upper terrace of this location have been irrigated, salvage of soil below one foot in depth will not be used as a soil resource over the affected lands without first testing for the accumulation of salts that may affect the regrowth potential on those soils. Salt laden layers of the solum will be used as fill on-site and will be placed deeper than the primary root zone of grasses, trees, and shrubs, or generally, deeper than 4.0± feet in depth. Any portion of the solum suitable for plant regrowth will be utilized to meet the minimum depth of soil replacement for reclamation, with the excess made commercially available for export from the property. The potential volume for sale or retention for reclamation is identified in Exhibit I & J - Table I-1: Soil Volumes. Generally, soil will be retained in sufficient volume to reclaim all lands remaining above the anticipated water level at any given point in time during resource recovery operations. Once removed from its native location, soil retained for reclamation will be windrowed along the perimeter of the area of extraction and seeded with the reclamation seed mixture specified under Exhibit L - Table L-1: Primary/Preferred Re-vegetation Seed Mixture and Costs and Exhibit L - Table L-2: Optional/Default Revegetation Seed Mixture and Costs. This will provide an opportunity to gage the performance of the seed mixture while attempting to provide a stabilizing cover of vegetation over the stockpiles soil until it is ready for replacement on finished slopes and affected lands remaining above the anticipated Varra Companies, Inc. Heintzelman Project RMS 112 Permit Application 2 2 February 2008