2012-03-07_PERMIT FILE - C2010088 (16)

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National Cooperative Soil Survey (Soil Survey Staff, 1993 and 1999; and Schoeneberger et. al., 2002). Because the DRMS does not have a detailed guideline with specifications for conducting a baseline soil resource assessment, reference is made to the current Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) Guideline No.1 "Topsoil and Overburden" (WDEQ, 1996). At the direction of J.E. Stover, the existing constructed "land farms" area in the eastern and southeastern parts of the project area, as well as Reed Wash and any wetlands that may be present, were excluded from the baseline soil survey (Stover, 2010). The "land farms" are mapped as Disturbed Land (Map Unit DL), and the incised Reed Wash drainage channel bottomland and any adjacent wetlands are mapped as Reed Wash (Map Unit RW). The "land farms" were separately sampled and analyzed. The soils scope -of -work was similar to that for the previously completed CAM - Colorado Red Cliff Mine soil survey, as discussed with Mr. Dan Mathews (DRMS) in early April, 2006. Mr. Mathews had written: "An Order I or II survey intensity will be required for all potentially disturbed surface areas for mapping purposes." (Mathews, 2006a). This is consistent with specifications of WDEQ Guideline No. 1, as described on pages 2 and 3 of that guideline, which further states that nonaffected areas be mapped less intensively to the Order III level (WDEQ, 1996). All major soils on proposed affected areas were fully described and sampled for laboratory analysis a minimum of one time each. Based on previous experience with similar coal mine related projects, this sampling intensity is consistent with previous recommendations for proposed affected area disturbances on other projects in Colorado and other western states. The amount of additional soil sampling, beyond the minimum, is left to the professional judgement of the certified soil scientist. For the approximate 103 - acre project area, a total of 3 representative soil sites were sampled by major horizons and subhorizons for laboratory characterization. A total of 12 soil samples were collected from the 3 sample sites. The soil samples were delivered to Inter - Mountain Laboratories, Inc. in Sheridan, Wyoming, for standard soils analysis. The laboratory analysis included the following parameters: pH; saturation percent; electrical conductivity (EC); calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sodium (Na) (meq/L); calculation of sodium adsorption ratio (SAR); organic matter percent (Walkley -Black method); soil texture (percent sand, silt, and clay), and iron (ppm by AB -DTPA method). Based on previous conversation with Mr. Mathews, Selenium and Boron (ppm) were added to the laboratory analysis (Mathews, 2006b). The results of the laboratory analysis were reported on June 18, 2010, and are included with this report. A 10% duplicate analysis was conducted for quality assurance /quality control (QA/QC) purposes, and the results are on file at IML. Concerning soils mapping, initial mapping units were identified using Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) Order 3 soil survey map (Spears and Kleven, 1978), 2 Exhibit 7 — 2010 Train Loadout Soil Survey