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-32- <br /> -� the mine, topsoil will be salvaged in accordance with regulatory requirements. <br /> The only disturbance proposed at the mine which will require topsoil salvage <br /> is the 6-acre waste disposal area, where topsoil salvage depths will be based <br /> upon analysis of the soil material to determine optimal salvage depth. Top- <br /> soil will then be removed with scrapers, front-end loaders, or dozers and then <br /> stockpiled. The stockpiled topsoil will be protected from wind and water <br /> erosion by a quick growing vegetative cover as required by the regulation. <br /> The application indicates that no site-specific soils sampling has been con- <br /> ducted for the proposed 6-acre waste disposal area, since an alternate site is <br /> being evaluated during Phase II of the Stability Analysis being conducted by <br /> Merrick and Co. and Geo Hydro (see Section XVIII, Coal Processing Waste and <br /> Non-Coal Processing Waste) . Once the actual location of this area has been <br /> determined, the applicant will need to sample all areas to be disturbed under <br /> the term of the permit in order to determine the appropriate salvage depths. <br /> With the acceptance by Colorado Westmoreland, Inc. of the -following stipulation, <br /> the proposed operation is in compliance: <br /> COLORADO WESTMORELAND, INC. MUST SUBMIT TO THE DIVISION A COMPLETE TOPSOIL <br /> SALVAGE PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED 6-ACRE EXPANSION OF THE WASTE DISPOSAL <br /> AREA WITHIN ONE MONTH AFTER THE LOCATION OF THIS PILE HAS BEEN DETER- <br /> MINED, AND PRIOR TO ANY DISTURBANCE TO THE AREA. THIS PLAN MUST INCLUDE <br /> SITE-SPECIFIC SOIL PROFILE DESCRIPTIONS, SAMPLING OF SOIL HORIZONS IN <br /> SUFFICIENT DETAIL TO DETERMINE SALVAGE DEPTHS, SOILS ANALYSIS FOR <br /> REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLES OF EACH MAJOR SOIL HORIZON FOR EACH SOIL TYPE <br /> FOR THE SOIL TESTING PARAMETERS LISTED IN APPENDIX B, A SOILS SUIT- <br /> ABILITY TABLE, AND A TABLE SHOWING STRIPPING DEPTHS AND SALVAGE VOLUMES. <br /> THIS PLAN NEED ONLY CONSIDER THOSE PORTIONS OF THE 6-ACRE AREA WHICH <br /> WILL BE DISTURBED DURING THE TERM OF THE PERMIT. <br /> XII. VEGETATION (2.04.10, 2.05.4(2) (e) , 4.15) <br /> The vegetation on the areas affected by the Orchard Valley mine's surface <br /> operations and facilities is characterized by pinyon-juniper stands, mixed <br /> mountain shrublands, oakbrush shrublands, and orchard land at the rail load- <br /> out facility along the North Fork. The pinyon-juniper type is the most exten- <br /> sive vegetation type occuring in the affected area, covering 49.4 of the 72.2 <br /> total affected acres. The mixed mountain shrub type occurs along the West <br /> side of Stevens Gulch, where 7. 3 acres have been disturbed by the mine parking <br /> area. The oakbrush vegetation type occurs primarily to the North of the <br /> affected area, except for a small 3.5 acre area which has been disturbed by <br /> the upper diversion channel. The amount of disturbance to this vegetation <br /> type, 3.5 acres, has been determined by the Division to be too insignificant <br /> to be considered as a separate community for purposes of revegetation, and <br /> so will be treated as part of the pinyon-juniper community which adjoins <br /> the oakbrush type (see Map 6A) . The Orchard Valley mine's rail loadout <br /> facilities have affected 11 acres of orchard land. Adjacent orchards produce <br /> a variety of fruits, including peaches, apricots, prunes, cherries, pears, <br /> and apples. <br />