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eliminated, but the contoured, graded surface will not meet <br />approximate original contour standards. The Colorado MLRD has <br />judged a request by the applicant for variance from approximate <br />original contour requiriement to be appropriate based upon steep <br />slope mining conditions. However, Colorado MLRD has added special <br />conditions to the permit which require the submission of additional <br />data and reclamation designs which the applicant is in the process <br />of complying with. <br />Three special conditions were added to the original mining plan <br />approval and Federal and State permits which dealt with the problem <br />of slope stability and which remain in effect on the State permit. <br />Special Condition No. 6 directed the applicant to complete a <br />thorough geotechnical investigation and stability analysis of the <br />proposed backfilled configurations for the five portal benches. It <br />also required the applicant to prepare a detailed material balance, <br />designating the proposed source of materials to be utilized in <br />completing the backfilling and grading of the mine portal areas. <br />Special Condition No. 7 required the applicant to submit by <br />December 31, 1984, a backfilling and grading plan for the <br />preparation plant area and to then update the application to include <br />this plan. This condition has been complied with. Special <br />Condition No. 8 required the applicant to complete a mapping of the <br />existing haul road system at the mines in order to develop typical <br />reclamation procedures for each category of road. Further, the <br />applicant was required to submit a specific proposal for the <br />backfill, grading, drainage, and reclamation procedures, and a <br />detailed material balance for the final reduced haul road <br />configuration. The applicant is currently complying with this <br />special condition. <br />The mining and reclamation operations within the areas of unstable <br />geology will not endanger life and property. The above special <br />conditions and the exemption from restoring the portal area to its <br />approximate contours should ensure continued slope stability. <br />There are no areas subject to frequent flooding in the permit and <br />adjacent area. <br />B. Impacts of Alternative 2, Disapproval <br />Disapproval of the mining plan modification would result in <br />40,000,000 additional tons of Federal coal not being mined unless <br />and until an alternative mining plan is developed, submitted by the <br />applicant, and approved by the Secretary of the Interior. The <br />impacts described for Alternative 1, Approval Without Conditions <br />would not occur. The Coal Basin mines would continue to operate <br />under the terms and conditions of the mining plan approved in June <br />1983; the impacts of which are described in the June 1983 <br />Environmental Assessment (EA), prepared by OSMRE, and the April 1983 <br />and August 1984 Technical Analyses, prepared by Colorado MLRD. <br />-6- <br />