Laserfiche WebLink
39. Rule 2.06.6 describes the necessary permit contents regarding prime farmlands. <br />The permit must contain "a plan for the mining and restoration of the land." Rule 2.06.6(2). <br />The plan must contain, among other things, the following: <br />(a) A soil survey of the permit area according to standards established <br />by the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service for the <br />National Cooperative Soil Survey. <br />(b) The proposed method and type of equipment to be used for removal, <br />storage, and replacement of the soil in accordance with 4.25. <br />(c) The location of areas to be used for the separate stockpiling of the <br />soil and plans for soil stabilization before redistribution. <br />(d) If applicable, documentation, such as agricultural school studies or <br />other scientific data from comparable areas, that supports the use <br />of other suitable material, instead of the A, B, or C soil horizons, <br />to obtain on the restored area equivalent or higher levels of yield <br />as non-mined prime farmlands in the surrounding area under <br />equivalent levels of management. <br />(e) Plans for seeding or cropping the final graded disturbed land and <br />the conservation practices to be used to adequately control erosion <br />and sedimentation and restoration of an adequate soil moisture <br />regime, during the period from completion of regrading until <br />release of the performance bond.... <br />(h) In all cases, soil productivity for prime farmlands shall be returned <br />to equivalent levels of yield as nonmined land of the same soil <br />type in the surrounding area under equivalent management <br />practices as determined from the soil survey performed pursuant to <br />2.06.6. <br />Rule 2.06.6(2). <br />PR-6 meets the permit regulatory requirements for prime farmlands. <br />40. In addition to what the permit must contain for prime farmlands, Rule 4.25 <br />describes the many performance standards for operations on prime farmlands. Rule 4.25 has <br />specific requirements for soil removal and stockpiling (Rule 4.25.3), soil replacement (Rule <br />4.25.4), and revegetation (4.25.5). These performance requirements ensure that the "land <br />will have agricultural productive capacity which is equal after mining to premining levels <br />and the land is not lost as an important national resource." Rule 4.25.1(1). The performance <br />Western Fuels <br />Order <br />C-1981-008