2012-01-05_REVISION - C1980005 (8)

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XIV. Protection of Underground Mining Surface coal mining activities at the Seneca II mine have been reduced to only reclamation activities. There are no further plans for surface mining at the Seneca II Mine. The Sage Creek Mine, an underground operation, will operate on lands adjacent to the current Seneca II Mine permit area. The reclamation activities conducted within the Seneca II mine permit area will not be conducted closer than 500 feet of the Peabody Sage Creek Mine underground operations. XV. Subsidence Control No subsidence occurred or is expected to occur at the Seneca II Mine. XVI. Concurrent Surface and Underground Mining There are no concurrent surface and underground mining operations at the Seneca II Mine. There are no further plans for surface mining at the Seneca II Mine, and the Sage Creek Mine, an underground operation, will operate on lands adjacent to the proposed Seneca II Mine permit area. XVII. Operations on Alluvial Valley Floors Information pertinent to alluvial valley floor (AVF) determinations is provided in Volumes 4, 5, and 6, Tab 7, of the permit application. Additional information used by the Division in the identification of potential AVF locations was Map 15 (Alluvial Valley Floors, Land Use and Water Rights) from the Foidel Creek life -of -mine permit application (C -82 -056). The areas which were reexamined as potential AVFs within the Fish Creek basin include alluvial bodies along two tributaries of Fish Creek, referred to as Cow Camp Creek and Bond Creek, and the reach of Fish Creek between Cow Camp Creek and the confluence with Trout Creek. Based on the Division's review of materials submitted by the applicant on May 27, 1981 and infrared aerial photography reviewed more recently, the alluvial bodies adjacent to Cow Camp and Bond Creeks did not meet the requirements for AVFs. This negative determination was made in both instances due to the fact that the meandering nature of the channels severely limits the farmable acreage within each drainage. During the Division's review of the adjacent Foidel Creek life -of -mine permit revision No. 1 (C -82 -056), the Division reevaluated potential AVFs in Twentymile Park. Infrared photography and field investigations indicated that the Fish Creek alluvial body was, in places, flood irrigated, and was generally sub - irrigated, potentially farmable land. Based on these investigations, the Division has determined that the Fish Creek alluvial body met the criteria of an AVF. This AVF extends the length of Fish 28