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across the portals, which was then covered by 25 feet of backfill. Facilities were demolished, and <br />backfill and grading activities were accomplished. Disturbed areas were topsoiled and seeded in <br />compliance with final reclamation specifications. An October 19, 1995 Phase I Partial Bond <br />Release recognized accomplished reclamation work. An estimated 1 acre of disturbance was not <br />granted Phase I Bond Release. <br />The sediment control structures will be the last (and are the only remaining) features to be <br />reclaimed at the mine. The features are Sediment Pond A, the concrete splitter box and Culvert 5 at <br />the inlet to the pond, and the Small Area Exemption ditches, berms and sump. Reclamation of these <br />features includes regrading, spreading of topsoil from the two remaining topsoil stockpiles, and <br />establishment of vegetation cover. They will not be removed until revegetation success standards <br />have been met on the contributing reclaimed areas and runoff from the areas meets applicable <br />State and Federal water quality standards. A Phase I Bond Release for the remaining areas and a <br />complete Phase II Bond Release (SL -02) for the site was approved on August 17, 2001. <br />A current estimate of the cost of remaining reclamation work and overview of current bond <br />coverage is presented at Section A Paragraph 10 of this findings. The most recent estimate was <br />completed on May 19, 2011. <br />Permit Revisions <br />The following revisions were approved following the fifth renewal of this permit (as of the date <br />of this findings). <br />Minor Revision was received on March 5, 2007, deemed complete on March 13, 2007 and <br />approved on April 26, 2007. This revision allowed for the use of the existing sediment pond for <br />the evaporation of water from coal bed methane wells. <br />Stipulations to the Permit <br />There are no current stipulations on the permit. <br />Description of the Environment <br />The surface facilities of the mine were located on north - sloping fan terraces at the foot of a <br />spectacular, steep hillside formed by steeply- dipping bedrock (the Grand Hogback). The lower <br />terraces of the site, at elevation approximately 5,800 feet, are approximately 150 feet above the <br />Colorado River, and are used as cropland (grass and alfalfa) and for grazing. The base of the <br />steep slopes is used for grazing (sagebrush areas). <br />Geology <br />Rock strata dip ranges from 30 to 70 degrees to the west - southwest. Minor folds trending north- <br />south to northwest- southeast occur throughout the region. However, there is little evidence of <br />faulting along the Grand Hogback. <br />The exposed rock sequence in the permit area is Jurassic through Tertiary in age and includes <br />(proceeding from the base to the top, oldest to youngest) the Morrison Formation, Dakota <br />Coal Ridge No. 1 Mine <br />Permit Renewal 6 4 31 October 2011 <br />