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C- 2010 -089 PAR Part 1 <br />New Horizon North Mine <br />23- Dec -2010 <br />Page 19 of 21 <br />area as determined by pre- mining inventories and the reclamation plan. The operator must <br />demonstrate that the management of the reference area is under the permit's control and, <br />will remain under the permittee's control throughout the performance bond requirements of <br />3.02.3. <br />The Division questions the applicability of the Dryland Reference area located at the <br />Hopkins Field Airport as representative of the pre - mining dryland pasture land use. The soil <br />of the proposed dryland pasture reference area is primarily Barx fine sandy loaml -3% slope. <br />The Montrose County soil survey does not provide expected productivity values for dryland <br />pasture on this soil mapping unit. The proposed dryland pasture reference at the Hopkins <br />Field has a considerable shrub component. The post- mining land use for areas on the <br />proposed permit area is dryland pasture. Shrubs should make up a minor component of the <br />dryland pasture "community ". Soils mapped in the proposed mining area do not include <br />Barx soils. The Division recommends that WFC locate a representative Dryland pasture <br />reference area that will remain under the operator's control. It is desirable and highly <br />beneficial to use a reference area that can be incorporated into the permit area. <br />2.05.5 — Postmining Land Uses <br />1. The post- mining land use map also shows pre- mining land uses. While having both pre -and <br />post- mining land uses displayed on one map provides a good comparison of the land use <br />changes, the map as submitted is very confusing. Please remove the premining land use data <br />from Map 2.05.4 -post mining land use, and resubmit it clearly showing the proposed post - <br />mining land use. <br />2. Rule 4.16.1(1) requires that "all areas affected by surface coal mining operations shall be <br />restored in a timely manner to conditions that are capable of supporting the uses which they <br />were capable of supporting before any mining; or (2) to higher or better uses achievable <br />under criteria and procedures of 4.16. Please provide an account of how changing the post - <br />mining land use from irrigated pasture to dryland pasture meets the requirement of Rule <br />4.16. <br />3. During a meeting on February 15, 2008, between Division personnel, WFC personnel, WFC <br />consultants, and local NRCS representatives regarding a neighboring mine to the proposed <br />HNH mine, an approach was discussed for lands that may have been irrigated prior to <br />mining, but for which water rights are not available or are insufficient, would be to restore <br />lands to an "improved /irrigable" status. The concept is these lands would be seeded to <br />dryland species and subject to dryland pasture success criteria, but grading, soil handling, <br />and provision of irrigation infrastructure would be specified, such that the post -mine owner <br />could apply some level of irrigation management with whatever water is available, <br />following bond release. A soil handling proposal to re- establish the reclaimed lands to an <br />"improved/irrigable" post - mining use may be a valid approach. <br />2.05.6 — Mitigation of the Impacts of Mining Operations <br />2.05.6 1 —Air pollution control plan <br />This section will be incorporated into Part 2 of the Division's PAR. <br />