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agricultural soils have been, and continue to be, salvaged and replaced in two separate lifts; <br />while thinner, less productive soils are salvaged and replaced in a single mixed lift. Whether one <br />lift or two lift replacement is employed, the soil is replaced over a separate lift of suitable quality <br />spoil obtained from the upper-most zone of unconsolidated overburden. The thickness of the <br />suitable overburden lift (also referred to as "suitable Bench 1 subsoil" or just "Bench 1 subsoil"), <br />varies from a minimum of 24 inches to a minimum of 36 inches, depending on area. The <br />exception is a 4.68 acre area of Prime Farmland soil in the extreme northwest portion of the <br />permit area, where a 6 foot soil thickness will be replaced. Permit Map 2.05.4-4 depicts the <br />currently approved topsoil replacement plan, as amended by TR-57. On the Morgan property <br />southwest of the corner of 2700 Road and BB Road, mine disturbance had progressed <br />approximately 3000 feet to the west of 2700 Road by the end of January 2008, and single lift <br />salvage operations had been employed. The single lift operation was not appropriate on the <br />thick, productive agricultural soils that dominate the Morgan property, and soil handling <br />practices were altered beginning February 2008, to require two lift salvage and replacement, with <br />a total minimum replacement soil thickness of 48 inches over a minimum Bench 1 overburden <br />lift thickness of 36", for the remainder of the property extending west to the permit boundary. <br />In accordance with landowner desires, the reclamation plan will be directed toward replacement <br />and enhancement of the dominant irrigated hayland and pastureland land uses. Small areas of <br />steeper slopes or property corners difficult to irrigate will be planted to dryland pasture, in <br />accordance with landowner requests. Reclamation efforts will not be directed toward restoring <br />the minor acreage of depleted sagebrush rangeland, or the artificially subirrigated swale areas. It <br />is anticipated that wetland vegetation will establish in low spots and adjacent to impoundments <br />on the reclaimed landscape, due to the presence of water from irrigation runoff. Continued <br />incidental use of the reclaimed landscape by wildlife similar to that which occurred prior to <br />mining is expected. <br />Operations on Prime Farmland <br />During the permitting process for New Horizon Mine 2, and after an extensive review by the <br />Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); Western Fuels-Colorado; and the Division, a <br />determination was made that the Barx soil within the original permit area was not prime <br />farmland, based on a lack of dependable irrigation water supply. An October 14, 1992 letter <br />from the NRCS District Conservationist (Permit Attachment 2.04.9-6) documents this <br />determination. The zone of Barx soil, located in the southeastern corner of the permit area was, <br />however reclaimed to prime farmland standards, with respect to topsoil handling and <br />replacement thickness. <br />In 1998, a new soil survey was performed for areas west of 2700 Road and north of BB Road. <br />This survey noted numerous occurrences of Barx-Darvey complex soil. When PR-5 was <br />approved in 2000, the Division concluded that these soils were not Prime Farmland, based on <br />information presented in the PR-5 application, as well as the 1992 determination that irrigation <br />water supplies in the area were not sufficiently dependable. This determination was reevaluated <br />in 2007/2008. Based on the reevaluation by the Division and NRCS, one small area of <br />designated Prime Farmland and a larger area of potential Prime Farmland have been identified. <br />The small area of designated Prime Farmland is approximately 4.68 acres dominated by Begay <br />soils in the northwest corner of the permit area (see permit Map 2.05.4-4). The larger area of <br />17