Laserfiche WebLink
Honeywood Coal Company <br />HAMILTON MINE <br />2010 PHASE III BOND RELEASE EVALUATION —YEAR 1 OF 2 <br />REVEGETATION UNITS <br />IN PHASE III SA MPLING: <br />REFER AREAS (3): <br />MINE AREA NO. 1 & AD3. FACILITIES <br />MINE AREA No. 3 & AD3. FACILITIES <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />GRASSLAND — NORTH PORTION <br />GRASSLAND — SOUTH PORTION <br />SAGEBRUSH A (SOUTH AREA) <br />SAGEBRUSH B (NORTH AREA) <br />Cedar Creek Associates, Inc. (Cedar Creek) was retained in 2009 and 2010 by J. E. Stover & <br />Associates, Inc. to evaluate revegetated units at the Hamilton Mine (located approximately 2.5 miles <br />southeast of Naturita, Colorado). The 2009 evaluation was largely designed to collect managerial level <br />information regarding the status of revegetation at the mine and whether or not such revegetation could <br />withstand the rigors of final Phase II and Phase III evaluation efforts or whether additional remediation <br />was necessary. Given the positive finding in 2009, Year 1 of 2 for Phase III revegetation evaluation was <br />initiated in 2010 in accordance with the mine's permitting documentation, and in general accordance with <br />Colorado's Rule 3.03, Release of Performance Bonds. <br />Units included in this evaluation comprised the entirety of mine - related disturbances (91.5 acres) <br />excepting Sediment Ponds A and B that were excluded from the permit as well as occasional one -lane <br />roads that were left in place for land -owner access. Evaluated units included Mine Area No. 1 (along with <br />associated facilities — total of 81.6 acres) and Mine Area No. 3 (also with associated facilities — total of 9.9 <br />acres). Associated facilities consisted of reclaimed units such as haul /access roads, topsoil stockpiles, <br />lay -down yards, etc. As required by rule, all revegetation was at least 9 years of age as of 2010. Sample <br />points for Year 1 of the bond release evaluation are indicated on Maps 2 through 7. <br />In addition, to mining disturbances, three reference areas [Sagebrush Area — A, Sagebrush Area — B, <br />and Grassland (in two parts)] were uniquely sampled to provide cover and production comparison values <br />to facilitate an evaluation of success for reclaimed units. Because of the way these reference areas were <br />established during the baseline periods (both 1991 and 1992), a statistically appropriate "weighting <br />procedure" could not be developed that would have allowed Mine Area No. 1 and Mine Area No. 3 to be <br />sampled together as a combined unit. The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety <br />CEDAR CREEK ASSOCIATES, Inc. Page 1 Hamilton Mine - Phase III Bond Release <br />Year 1 of 2 <br />