2012-07-10_REVISION - C1981041 (7)

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grasses and shrubs, and other areas characterized by poor perennial cover, low diversity, or a significant cheatgrass component. The operator has conducted limited inter - seeding treatments within areas of poor establishment on the lower benches of CRDA -2 and at the North Decline, and has re- treated small areas of poor establishment at the South Fan and North Portal area. Modifications have been incorporated into the revegetation plan over the course of operations based on monitoring results and observation, in order to enhance the potential for success. Such modifications have included adjustments to the seedmixes and more aggressive seedbed roughening treatments for steep slope broadcast seeding areas, and efforts to suppress cheatgrass competition through herbicidal suppression and interseeding. Current Reclamation Status Prior to cessation of coal extraction in December 1999, final reclamation activity had been limited to the lower benches of the CRDA -1 and CRDA -2 refuse disposal areas (1994), and certain ancillary facility areas including the North Decline (1991- 1993), South Lease exploration drill sites and roads (1985/1986), and Northwest Intake Portal (1993). The South Fan facility area and associated borrow area and access road, and the 2 West Portal disturbed area was reclaimed in 2000 and 2001. Final reclamation including structural demolition and removal, backfilling and grading, topsoiling, and revegetation began on a large scale in 2001/2002. As of, final reclamation has been largely completed at a number of additional major facility areas including CRDA -1 and CRDA -2 refuse areas, RSRDA refuse area slopes, the North Portal facility area, Cameo Soil Borrow Areas CBA -1 and CBA -2, the Roadside Soil Borrow Area, and the overland conveyor corridor, including the section of conveyor that had been suspended over the Colorado River. Significant reclamation work was completed in 2008 at the South Portal Facilities including, facilities removal, grading, drainage construction and revegetation. The Unit Train Loadout is another facilities area where significant reclamation work was completed in 2009. The entire UTL area has been fully Phase III bond released; the property has been sold and is currently in use as an industrial site. The UTL area has been removed from the current permit area. Fill material from a low hill within the UTL facilities area was used for construction of a new access road and reclamation backfill in the South Portals area, as approved in PR -3. Reclamation of the South Portals area is completed. Temporary sediment and drainage control structures including diversion and collection ditches and sediment ponds will be reclaimed following PR -5 approval. With PR -5, SCC provided demonstrations that vegetation cover is sufficient to ensure that sedimentation from reclaimed areas does not exceed that from adjacent undisturbed areas. SCC has demonstrated with PR -5 that the untreated drainage from Roadside North Portal, Cameo Refuse Disposal Areas and Cameo Borrow Areas will contribute fewer suspended solids to streamflow or runoff outside the permit area than untreated drainage from the natural surrounding premining area. This was accomplished by a soils loss comparison between these disturbed locations and corresponding non - disturbed reference areas using the Universal Soil Loss Equation. SCC has also adequately demonstrated that the quality of untreated drainage from these disturbed areas meets the State and Federal water quality standard requirements applicable after the sedimentation ponds and other drainage control features are removed, for receiving streams. With PR -5 SCC also seeks approval to make changes to the final reclamation plans of Ponds 6, 10, and 11, Coal Gulch, the Coal Canyon drainage and Roadside North Portal. As part of the design for CRDA -2, the Coal Canyon drainage channel was permanently realigned to provide a more uniform, controlled flow between CRDA 1 and 2. Sections of the Coal Canyon permanent channel diversion near Ponds 6 and 10, and the Coal Gulch drainage in the vicinity of Pond 11 were originally planned and approved to be re- aligned and modified in conjunction with removal of the ponds. The Coal Gulch and sections of Coal Canyon drainage were going Permit Revision No. 5 13 July 10, 2012