2012-03-27_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981010 (2)

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removed parcel A -C -05 from the SL12 application and updated the Sediment Demonstration. Also, TMI reduced the acreage originally requested for release in Parcel Z -AB -05 due to haul road widening activities. TMI provided replacement pages to the originally submitted application to reflect these changes as well as updated maps. TMI's response addressed the Division's concerns cited in the adequacy review. III. APPROVAL CRITERIA FOR BOND RELEASE Phase I Bond Release Rule 3.03.1(2)(a) states, "Up to sixty percent of the applicable bond amount shall be released when the permittee successfully completes backfilling, regrading, and drainage control in accordance with the approved reclamation plan." With regard to Phase I bond release; TMI applied for a partial phase I bond release of 2511.7 acres with SL -01, 823.9 acres with SL -05, 476.6 acres with SL -08, and 57.8 acres with SL -11. SL -01 was approved on February 12 1998, SL -05 was approved on June 11, 2004, SL -08 was approved on November 4, 2008, and SL -11 was approved on January 7, 2011. Phase II Bond Release Rule 3.03.1(2)(b) states, "Up to eighty -five percent of the applicable bond amount shall be released upon the establishment of vegetation which supports the approved postmining land use and which meets the approved success standard for cover based on statistically valid data collected during a single year of the liability period ". In regard to Phase II bond release, Rule 3.03.2(3)(b) also states, "No more than (60) percent of the bond shall be released so long as the lands to which the release would be applicable are contributing suspended solids to streamflow or runoff outside the permit area in excess of premining levels as determined by baseline data or in excess of levels determined on adjacent nonmined areas ". With regards to Phase II Bond Release, TMI applied for a partial phase II bond release of 1548.0 acres with SL -01, 319.5 acres with SL -02, 592.7 acres with SL -03, 830.8 acres with S1 -06, and 294.6 acres with SL -09. SL -01 was approved on December 14, 1998, SL02 was approved on December 23, 1999, SL -03 was approved on April 19, 2002, SL -06 was approved on October 12, 2004, and SL -09 was approved on December 2, 2008. IV. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS During the bond release inspection conducted on August 30, 2011, the following observations were made. For all parcels, the vegetative cover was consistent with the vegetation sampling results reported in the SL -12 application (average of 67 percent cover), and species composition was generally consistent with the species reported in the SL -12 application, with relatively large quantities of Wheatgrasses, Mountain Brome, and Great Basin Wildrye, as well as some forbs and shrubs. Weeds were observed throughout the parcels, including many areas of white top. Small amounts of other weeds were seen including thistle and hounds Trapper Mine Page 5 March 27, 2012 Phase 11 Bond Release (SL -12)