Laserfiche WebLink
relative scale. Each small amelioration of the rigors caused by steep slope <br /> conditions, even though temporary, contributes toward the establishment of <br /> mature plants that can withstand the surface instability and thereby, in <br /> aggregate, lend stability to the slope as a whole. <br /> The absence of a major national highway at the base of the Coal Basin slopes <br /> has not been relevant to past or present determinations of the legal <br /> requirements for revegetation of this site. <br /> GLA Comment No. 3 <br /> Response: At some few locations, the exposed rock present is sufficiently <br /> hard to make establishment of plants difficult. If MCR were undertaking the <br /> reclamation of their disturbances, the provisions of the permit would have <br /> necessitated the placement of topsoil in order to achieve revegetation. From a <br /> practical standpoint, many of the road cut sites have the exposed rock <br /> sufficiently weathered and/or have a veneer of colluvium from upslope so that <br /> at least modest prospects of revegetation are present. <br /> GLA Comment No. 4 <br /> Response: See response to Comment No. 2 in first section. It is agreed that <br /> maintenance of loose mulch on the Coal Basin steep slopes as a uniform cover <br /> will be nearly impossible. As discussed elsewhere, the XXXXXX benefit that this <br /> relatively inexpensive mulch may provide to the ultimate success of at least <br /> some plants is important. An alternative to achieve more lasting and uniform <br /> mulch cover that was explored by DMG was the use of bonded fiber matrix <br /> which was critcized by GLA in the Mine #4 Downslope Comment No. 4. <br /> 16 <br />