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be removed and reclaimed. The detailed design for the crossing will be included as part of the submittal <br />to the Army Corps of Engineers for a 404 permit. A plan and profile view for this corridor and the Tuttle <br />Draw crossing can be viewed on Map 2.05.3 -2 in Section 2.05.3. <br />Then NHN Mine excavation will be performed by dozers, trucks and one shovel. The mine sequence is to <br />first remove the topsoil with dozers, shovels and loaders loading trucks which take the material to a <br />designated stockpile or, in later years, to the regraded area behind the pit for reclamation. Soft upper <br />overburden may be removed by shovels and trucks and taken to a designated stockpile or the back of the <br />pit for backfilling. If taken to the pit for backfilling, large dozers regrade the spoil overburden into the <br />original contour. Lower overburden is usually cast blasted where approximately 25% of the overburden is <br />cast into its fmal position in the backfill. The remaining shot overburden is loaded with a shovel and taken <br />to a designated stockpile or placed behind the pit for backfilling. The exposed coal is loaded with a shovel <br />into over - the -road haul trucks which take the coal to the nearby power plant in Nucla operated by Tri- <br />State. The anticipated mining schedule for each area where mining will occur is graphically shown on <br />Map 2.05.2 -1. A cross section of the typical pit is shown on Map 2.05.3 -1. <br />Coal removal at NHN Mine is expected to begin in mid 2013 and continue through 2018. The coal <br />quantities required from the NHN Mine under Western Fuels - Colorado's contract to supply Tri -State <br />Generating and Transmission Associations' Nucla Station are estimated to be about 350,000 tons to <br />460,000 tons per year. For purposes of this permit application, the maximum rate of 460,000 tons per <br />year was assumed. Whenever possible, overburden stripping and coal loading will be sequenced to <br />maintain an in -pit inventory of approximately one month's coal requirements. Additionally, overburden <br />stripping and coal loading will be sequenced to allow blending of coal in the pit to enable delivery of <br />relatively uniform quality coal to the power plant. <br />Section 2.05.2 Page 2 November 2011 <br />