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-44- <br /> X. Topsoil - Rules 2.04.9, 2.05.3(5), 2.05.4(2)(d) and 4.06 <br /> Soils resource information in Volume 6, Section III-6 Permit Revision No. 1 <br /> and Volume 2, Appendix II-B-5, and topsoil stripping and redistribution <br /> information in Volume 1 , Section II-B Permit Revision No. 1 and Volume 7, <br /> Chapter V of the application were reviewed for compliance with the appropriate <br /> regulations. <br /> Topsoil at the Coal Basin Mines is limited. Only a thin veneer of topsoil <br /> exists on the steep side slopes of the canyons. What topsoil is available is <br /> generally found in the valley bottoms and areas with low to moderate slopes. <br /> Since the Coal Basin Mines were opened prior to the Surface Mining Control and <br /> Reclamation Act of 1977, no topsoil was salvaged on most of the disturbed <br /> area. The areas where topsoil has been and is currently being salvaged are <br /> the sediment control ponds, the rock tunnel dump, the old refuse pile area, <br /> and the new coal refuse disposal area. <br /> The applicant has projected that an average of 20 inches of topsoil is <br /> available for salvage at the new coal refuse disposal area. At the old refuse <br /> pile 6 to 14 inches of topsoil was removed and 2 to 24 inches of topsoil was <br /> removed at the rock tunnel disposal pile. <br /> Topsoil is proposed to be replaced to a depth of 6 to 10 inches on the old <br /> coal refuse pile and at a depth of 12 to 16 inches on the rock tunnel disposal <br /> pile. A depth of 12 to 16 inches replaced on the rock tunnel pile should be <br /> adequate to obtain successful revegetation since the majority of the plant <br /> roots will be within the topsoil layer and the rock tunnel waste exhibits no <br /> properties which should limit plant growth. <br /> At the new refuse disposal area topsoil is proposed to be replaced at varying <br /> depths according to aspect of the final pile. The applicant proposes to <br /> replace 12 to 18 inches of topsoil on the north and east facing slopes, 18 to <br /> 24 inches on the west facing slopes and 24 to 30 inches on the south facing <br /> slopes. <br /> The analyses of roof rock in Table III-D-3 of Chapter III-D, Volume 4, <br /> indicates that some plant growth problems may exist with the coal refuse. The <br /> roof rock material which commonly makes up a large portion of the coal refuse <br /> is generally high in sulfur and iron, and has a high SAR. Therefore, the coal <br /> refuse may limit plant growth. Rule 4.10.4(4) requires that coal processing <br /> waste embankments be covered with 4 feet of the best available non-toxic, <br /> non-combustible material unless the applicant can show that revegetation <br /> success standards can be met with a lesser amount of soil cover. <br /> During 1982 a plan was developed by the applicant and the Division to <br /> determine how much soil cover is required to meet the revegetation success <br /> standards on the old refuse pile. The plan call for quantitative sampling of <br /> the revegetated surface of the coal processing waste pile in the summer of <br /> 1983. Soil cover depths were determined, then the vegetation was sampled on <br /> various depths of topsoil . This was compared to baseline data to determine <br /> the appropriate soil cover depth. <br />