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Colowyo provided vegetation monitoring reports for the Phase III Bond Release areas in Exhibit 2 <br />of the SL-05 application. <br /> <br />IV. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS <br /> <br /> <br />The following discussion of observations and findings focuses on the results of vegetation re- <br />establishment and compliance with the reclamation plan in the East Pit and West Pit for the Partial <br />Phase III Bond Release. Reclamation parcels were reclaimed from 1978 to 1999. Vegetation <br />sampling was conducted in 2007, 2008, and 2009. <br /> <br />Parcels reclaimed between 1978 and 1995 were sampled in 2007 and 2008. All reclaimed parcels <br />have met or surpassed the minimum liability time frame of ten (10) years in accordance with Rule <br />3.02.3(2)(b). Parcels reclaimed between 1996 and 1999 were sampled in 2008 and 2009. Colowyo <br />had initially included data from parcels reclaimed in 2000. However, the Division advised Colowyo <br />to remove the data from the 2000 reclamation parcels from the application as the parcels reclaimed <br />in 2000 had not yet achieved the minimum of 10-year liability. Colowyo complied and recalculated <br />the vegetation data with removal of the data from the parcels reclaimed in 2000. <br /> <br />The evaluation of the bond release application included the bond release inspection, an office <br />review of the permit requirements and regulatory criteria, review of past inspection reports, review <br />of annual reclamation reports, and review of annual hydrology reports. The bond release inspection <br />was conducted on 24-27 August 2010. Several items including revegetation success data that were <br />included in the bond release application were reviewed by the Division in the office during the <br />technical evaluation of the bond release application before, during and after the inspection. <br /> <br />During the Phase III bond release inspection, participants walked through most of the bond <br />release request area to allow for visual assessment of compliance with pertinent requirements as <br />described above in Section III of this document. Bond release inspection for Phase I and II bond <br />release for SL-04 was conducted concurrently with the SL-05 Phase III bond release inspection. <br />The 24-27 August 2010 inspection report details the findings from the inspection. A summary of <br />the observations are discussed below and the details are further discussed in the inspection <br />report. <br /> <br />As a result of the bond release inspection conducted on August 24, 2010, the Division identified <br />eleven items of concern that needed to be resolved prior to the Division’s proposed decision. Of <br />these eleven concerns, four pertained specifically to the SL-04 Bond release application. The <br />seven items of concern that pertain to the SL-05 Bond release application are summarized here: <br /> <br /> <br />1.Topsoil stockpile 15G is located within reclamation block EP015. This topsoil stockpile <br />is shown on permit map 28: Topsoil Handling. The topsoil resource stored in topsoil <br />stockpile 15G is designated for replacement on Haul Road A corridor at final <br />reclamation. Topsoil stockpile 15G and a corridor to provide access will be excluded <br />from the SL-05 application. Topsoil stockpile 15G and access corridor account for 3.1 <br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance 25 July 2012 <br />Partial Phase III Bond Release Sl-05 Page 5 <br /> <br />