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IV. Topsoil <br />Topsoil redistribution within the New Horizon Mine 1 permit area has been completed. <br />Replacement thicknesses varied from approximately 1.0 feet on dryland pastures to 1.5 <br />feet on irrigated pastures, depending upon the actual amount of topsoil recovered. <br />For the New Horizon Mine 2 permit area, topsoiling operations have been completed for <br />areas east of 2700 Road, with the exception of haul roads and the support facilities area. <br />Mining and reclamation activities are continuing to the west of 2700 Road. The <br />following findings are for the lands west of 2700 Road as evaluated for PR-6. <br />A. Salvage <br />Topsoil salvage thicknesses and stripping procedures are described in Subsection 16 <br />of Section 2.04.9 of the permit. The topsoil resource is removed and segregated in <br />advance of mining operations. The extent of topsoil removal is limited to <br />approximately two pit widths in advance of the active pit highwall, an area that will <br />allow subsequent removal of overburden and coal from the pit being mined. <br />Subsections 16.6 and 16.7 discuss stripping of frozen and saturated topsoil. <br />For those areas not determined to be prime farmland, all available topsoil is stripped <br />in a single "mixed" lift using a bulldozer or other suitable equipment. Beneath the <br />topsoil is a layer of unconsolidated overburden ("Bench 1" material) of varying <br />thickness. This material is excavated separately, generally using the mine shovel, and <br />placed in the uppermost level of regraded spoil behind the pit as "Bench 1 Surface <br />Spoil". Details are provided in Subsection 16.4 of Section 2.04.9 of the permit. <br />The Division has determined that the Bench 1 overburden material can be used for, or <br />as a supplement to topsoil within specific locations of the original NH-2 permit block. <br />The resulting soil is equal to or better than the available topsoil. This determination is <br />based on physical and chemical analyses approved by the Division (4.06.2(4)(a)). <br />In addition, the Division has determined that the Bench 1 overburden material is <br />suitable for as a subsoil substitute on a 20.05 acre portion of the Morgan property <br />immediately to the west of 2700 Road (Soil Replacement Zones 1 and 2 on Maps <br />2.05.4-4 and 2.05.4-6). Sufficient subsoil had not been salvaged prior to the positive <br />prime farmland determination for the Morgan property, and is not available in <br />advance of the mine pit, to provide an adequate prime farmland rooting medium over <br />the entire property. Based on chemical and physical information provided by the <br />operator pursuant to 4.06.2(4)(a), and included in the permit, the Bench 1 overburden <br />material is the best material available in the permit area to support revegetation. In <br />Replacement Zones 1 and 2, a 21 inch thickness of mixed A and B lift soil will be <br />replaced over a 33 inch thickness of the Bench 1 substitute subsoil. <br />44