Laserfiche WebLink
Rule 6.4.12 EXHIBIT L - Reclamation Costs <br />In arriving at the following estimated costs for reclamation, the applicant made some <br />assumptions based on their current equipment and costs to perform similar load and truck <br />operations in Weld County. <br />Equipment to be Used for Final Reclamation. The equipment need for final <br />reclamation will include bulldozers, scrapers, backhoes, and hydraulic seeders. <br />Major Phases of Reclamation. Each major phase associated with the final reclamation <br />is discussed in the following narrative. Where appropriate, the assumptions used to <br />determine the reclamation time and cost estimates are supplied. <br />A. BackfUling and Grading of the Borrow Pit Area. A maximum of 17.5 acres of <br />disturbance will be allowed at one time. Approximately 0.3 acres will comprise the <br />access road which will be left in place at reclamation for permanent field access. We will <br />assume a worst case scenario in which all 17.2 acres would require reclamation. The cuts <br />associated with the mining operations will bring the grade to within 6" to 8" to allow for <br />topsoil; therefore there will not be any backfilling or grading needed at the time of <br />reclamation. <br />The total costs for backfilling and grading the mine pit area is $0. <br />B. Topsoil Application. The amount of topsoil required to be placed is estimated to be 6" <br />to 8" thick over 17.2 acres. This equates to 16,187 cy of topsoil. The costs to place <br />16,187 cy would be $1.80/cy which equals $29,137. <br />The total costs for topsoil application is $29,137. <br />C. Revegetation Costs. The revegetation costs for 17.2 acres of disturbed area will consist <br />of seed costs of approximately $ 30 per acre which equals $516. Seedbed preparation <br />costs will consist of chisel plowing or deep ripping at a cost of approximately $ 150 per <br />acre which translates to an estimated cost of approximately $ 2,580. Actual seeding costs <br />for drill seeding will be approximately $ 50/acre which equals $860. Clean straw or <br />native hay mulch will be applied at the rate of one ton per acre at an estimated cost of <br />$280 per acre which equals $ 4816. <br />There is an alternate approach to revegetation, which will depend on the timing of <br />reclamation. Should reclamation start in the spring then a cover crop of milo will be <br />established by drill seeding. This cover crop will serve as the mulch for the fall seeding <br />of the dryland pasture seed mix. For purposes of this cost estimate we have used the <br />costs for the clean straw or native hay mulch instead of the cover crop as this is the more <br />conservative cost approach. <br />The total costs for revegetation is $8,772.