2011-11-28_PERMIT FILE - C1992081A (5)

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Peabody does not propose to use any selected overburden materiels as topsoil substitutes • or plant seedbed media. This is based on results of the soil survey end topsoil inventory presented in Teb 9 end Table 19-3. Sufficient quantities of suitable quality topsoil are available to restore the disturbed areas to the desired postmine land use. Following mining, about 6 to 9 inches of suitable topsoil will be replaced (Table 19.3). No topsoil will be replaced on those facilities which are to be retained to compliment the final postmine lend use. These facilities include 3.3 acres of right-of-ways for Routt County Roads 37 end 53 end U.S. Highway 40 (Exhibit 18-1 end Table 19.3). Topsoil replacement depths of approximately 6 to 9 inches over final graded substratum at Hayden Gulch loedaut will be beneficial to establishing a good seedbed and rooting medium. This conclusion is supported by the literature, premine soil survey (Tab 9), and vegetation inventories (Tab 10), as well as on-site data from Peabody's Seneca 1I end 11-Y Mines. The anticipated loamy topsoil texture will likely have favorable infiltration end water holding characteristics. Also, the subsoil/substratum medium immediately below the topsoil will typically have desirable chemical end physical characteristics for plant growth including low sodicity end salinity, moderately high saturation percentage for • acceptable water holding char acteriaties, end no minor element toxicity problems (see Teb 9, Soil Resources). Maintenance and Tes[ina Procedures The density and physical characteristics of the replaced topsoil and upper subsoil/substratum will be observed. Traffic areas end other compacted areas will be ripped prior to topsoiling (see Tab 17, Table 17-1). Past experience at Peabody's Seneca II Mine has shown that scarifying roads will correct the siBnificent compaction problems. A topsoil resource quality control program will be implemented to ensure that topsoil is salvaged end replaced es recommended. The optimum soil selvage depth for each soil map unit will be evaluated on-site by an individual qualified to evaluate field observation tests including soil color, rooting depth, coarse fragment content, horizonetion, and clay content. Periodic field inspections will also be made by a soil scienti at. Soil samples will be collected to correlate field procedures with laboratory det e. Topsoil recovery depths will be recorded on the soil map by the soil scienti at to document the actual mean • thickness of topsoil recovered. Color ph otogrephe of the soil profile and landscape will 9