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All reclamation requirements of the Rules and the Act must be fully met [Section <br />3.03.1(4)]; and <br />4. The final inspection and evaluation procedures of Section 3.03.2 must be satisfied <br />[Section 3.03.1(2)(c)]. <br />IV. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS <br />Phase I Bond Release <br />The following disturbed areas in the bond release area have not previously received Phase I bond <br />release: Ponds 1 and 2; the East Collection Ditch on the east side of the asphalt-paved road in the <br />southern half of the permit area; the collection ditch on the east side of the former Equipment <br />Storage Area, topsoil stockpiles 4 and 7; and equipment removal in the former Equipment Storage <br />Area. <br />The ponds and the collection ditches were removed in 2008 after the operator demonstrated in <br />Technical Revision 15 that these structures were no longer needed for meeting water quality <br />standards. Reclamation of the ponds and ditches included backfilling, grading, and seeding. The <br />backfilling and grading blends well with surrounding reclaimed and undisturbed lands, as noted in <br />the Division's March 2009 inspection report. <br />The former location of Pond 1 is a flat surface of several acres that blends well with the adjoining <br />flat, tilled farmland just outside the permit area to the south. Runoff from the regraded flat area <br />would make its way to natural drainages on either side of Ewing Mesa, in the same way that runoff <br />from the farmland naturally drains. <br />The former location of Pond 2 is an area of less than one-half acre in the flat bottom of a gulch that <br />reports a short distance to the lower part of Carbon Junction Canyon. Runoff from the west half of <br />the Permanently Reclaimed Spoil Area will continue to flow to this gulch via a culvert that extends <br />underneath the permanent asphalt-surfaced haul road. From the gulch, the flow will continue to the <br />canyon. <br />Topsoil stockpiles 4 and 7 were approved for permanent retention in Technical Revision 16 in 2010 <br />based on a demonstration that the topsoil was not needed for meeting the required minimum of one <br />foot topsoil depth on the site and the stockpiles did not need removal for achieving approximate <br />original contour. <br />The topography in the SL-04 bond release area compares favorably with the previously mentioned <br />maps in the permit application that show the approved postmining topography; therefore, the <br />Division finds the bond release area has been backfilled and graded to approximate original contour. <br />The equipment has been removed from the storage area and taken offsite, as noted in the bond <br />release inspection report. <br />6