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McClane Canyon Mine Expansion and Fruita Loadout Facility Biological Assessment <br />3.52 acres and will be ,covered by the placement of the new topsoil stockpile and the <br />construction materials stockpile.. The new, topsoil stockpile will provide storage for <br />approximately 32,000 cubic yards of topsoil salvaged from new disturbed areas as well as <br />topsoil from the existing topsoil stockpile. The new construction materials storage stockpile will <br />provide storage for approximately 90,000 cubic yards of excess soil material. The topsoil <br />stockpile -would have a maximum vertical height of 50 feet and 2.1 side slopes. A sedimentation <br />control ditch would be constructed around the perimeter,of the topsoil stockpile in order to direct <br />runoff to the sedimentation control ditch and ultimately the proposed sediment pond. The <br />expanded stockpile would cover-the existing sediment pond. The stockpile would be stabilized <br />with temporary revegetation methods and would be sprayed to control cheatgrass and other <br />noxious weeds, as necessary. <br />Sediment Pond. The proposed 1.64 acres sediment pond would be capable of containing the <br />run -off from a 10 -year event with a spillway system designed to handle the peak flow generated <br />by a 25 7year storm event. Run -off would be collected from the mine facilities described above, <br />through a series of collection ditches. The sediment pond would be dewatered if it contains <br />water above the maximum allowable containment level, and sediment would be removed from <br />the sediment pond when the sediment level reaches -60 percent of the maximum sediment <br />elevation (5,378.72 feet or 0.7 feet above the bottom of the pond). <br />Haul Road #1 Upgrade. Haul Road #1 would be upgraded to be 20 to 24 feet wide and 3,300 <br />feet long with an earth and rock safety berm or guardrail on the outside slope and a drainage <br />ditch on the inside. Overall disturbance from Haul Road #1 would be approximately 4.42 acres. <br />Traffic on Haul Road #1 would include employees, contractors, vendors, supply vehicles, and <br />visitors, as Well as 10- and 18- wheel haul trucks used to - transport clean coal to the Loadout <br />Facility near Fruita and coal mine waste to the proposed coat mine waste disposal area. Dust <br />suppressants would be used to control fugitive dust emissions. <br />Haul Road #2. Haul Road #2 would be approximately 2,530 feet long with a 24 -foot wide road <br />surface, requiring 4.02 acres of new disturbance. Ten -wheel and /or 35 to 50 ton haul trucks <br />with approximately 17 trips per day would transport coal mine waste from'the coal cleaning plant <br />and portal bench area (if necessary) to the coal mine waste disposal area. Dust. suppressants <br />would be used'to control fugitive dust emissions. Drainage from Haul Road #2 would be;routed <br />to the sediment pond. <br />Power Line Reroute. The existing power line operated by Grand :Valley Power (GVP) is within <br />the area proposed for the coal mine waste disposal area; therefore, relocation of the GVP power <br />line is necessary. The proposed relocated power line would be 'approximately 2,640 feet long. <br />Twelve new single -pole wood structures spaced 155 to 285 feet would be required and seven <br />existing structures would be removed. GVP would use existing two- trackroads along and near <br />the new right -of -way, so no additional permanent access roads are necessary. <br />Restoration. After McClane Canyon Mine's reserves are depleted, all. structures and <br />disturbance associated with the Mine would be reclaimed to the approximate or'iginai contour, <br />except for the portal bench area and coal mine waste pile. The portal bench area was disturbed <br />prior to the enactment of SMCRA under the authority of an approved USGS exploration plan <br />and there is no record of pre - mining topography. Estimated slopes of pre - mining "topography <br />within the -portal bench area are steep (39 to 43 degrees) and reclamation back to "those <br />contours would not be stable. Therefore, a variance has been requested to alter topography <br />during reclamation activities. All disturbed areas would 'be returned to a rangeland and <br />terrestrial wildlife habitat use. It is estimated that reclamation activities -would take 4 y"ears'to <br />complete. <br />10 <br />