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applicant proposes to construct a spur from the line, with a 120 -foot open deck bridge crossing <br />Reed Wash, and a rail loop which passes through the facilities area where the coal will be <br />loaded. Specifications for construction of the rail portions, provided by Union Pacific Railroad, <br />are featured in Exhibit 16 of the permit. Approximately 2.1 miles of rail line will be constructed. <br />All proposed surface disturbances associated with the unit train loadout will occur during the <br />initial construction of the facility. The proposed disturbed area is shown on the Mine Facilities <br />Map No. 3, 4, and 19 in the PAP. The previously disturbed areas are shown on Map 19. <br />The Billings soil at the site is dominantly `unsuitable' due to high salinity and sodicity; however, <br />it is the only native, non - disturbed soil material on the project area and it supports the <br />greasewood vegetation community. The upper 6 inches of soil will be salvaged and stockpiled in <br />two stockpiles, one on either side of Reed Wash. <br />The reclamation plan for all areas is to remove all buildings, support facilities and the rail road <br />spur. All areas will be graded to approximate original contour with top soil being replaced on <br />areas from which it was salvaged and 6 inches of cover fill salvaged from the loadout <br />construction will be replaced on industrial areas. Areas designated with a post mining land use <br />of rangeland/fish and wildlife that were topsoiled, will be seeded with native species and <br />mulched. Areas designated as industrial will be covered with an additional 3 inches of ballast <br />and sub - ballast salvaged from the reclaimed rail road bed. Weeds that are on the State `A' list <br />and the Mesa County noxious weed list will be aggressively managed during the operation and <br />reclamation phases of the operation. <br />Section 2.04.7(3) of the permit application contains a discussion of the water rights in the permit <br />area and adjacent area and a discussion of the alternative water supplies. Map 18, "Water Rights <br />Location ", shows the locations of the water rights referred to in the permit application text. <br />There are a total of 34 water rights listed in the permit application for the permit area and the <br />adjacent area. For one or more reasons, namely, distance from the proposed loadout <br />disturbances, locations that are upgradient of the proposed disturbances, sediment control at the <br />loadout and the dilution effect of the Colorado River, it is not anticipated that the proposed <br />loadout disturbance will injure any water rights in the permit and adjacent areas. <br />There are three water rights within the permit area. The operator owns one water right and has <br />applied for a second while a third water right is listed as being abandoned by the court. <br />Just west of the permit area are three water rights. Two are comprised of six springs but are on <br />the west side of Loma Drain and are hydraulically separated from the planned loadout <br />disturbances. A third will be owned by the operator when the application is approved. <br />A cluster of five monitoring wells and three industrial wells are located on the east side of the <br />industrial area, north and south of haul road no. 1. Due to the distance from the proposed loadout <br />operations, these wells are not anticipated to be affected by the Fruita Loadout. Further to the <br />south of this well cluster are five additional water rights associated with pumps, a pond, a canal <br />and one pumping pipeline owned by the operator. <br />18 <br />