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flatter area. The topsoil is then loaded into haul trucks using an excavator. Stripped topsoil is <br />hauled directly to graded spoil areas on the trailing edge of the pits or to topsoil storage piles for <br />later distribution during reclamation. Topsoil from the East Pit and West Pit mining areas have <br />been stored in several topsoil stockpiles as shown on Map 28. Topsoil from the South Taylor <br />mining area is also being stored in topsoil stockpiles as shown on Map 28B. <br />Blasting <br />Blasting fractures overburden and interburden. The rubble overburden from the top three to four <br />seams in the advancing edges of the West Pit is removed by truck- and - shovel operations. This <br />material is hauled around the active pit and dumped into the active pits on the trailing side. Cast <br />blasting (with explosives) and back casting with draglines are used for the removal of rubble <br />overburden above the lower seams, and was used in the East Pit and Section 16 Pit. Initial box - <br />cut material from the East Pit was placed in the Streeter Fill. Initial box -cut material from the <br />West Pit was placed in the West Pit permanent excess spoil fill. Initial box -cut material from the <br />Section 16 Pit was placed in the Section 16 Fill. <br />After blasting, the truck and shovel operations will also remove the top three or four seams of <br />overburden and interburden at the South Taylor Pit. This material will be hauled to temporary <br />overburden storage piles TS West and TS East (to the north of the pit). Approximately 42.7 <br />million cubic yards of material will be placed in the temporary overburden stockpiles. Upon the <br />completion of mining, this overburden will be hauled back to the South Taylor Pit. The initial <br />box -cut material for the South Taylor Pit will be placed in two permanent valley fills (the West <br />Taylor and East Taylor Fills). Approximately 90 million cubic yards of material will be placed <br />in the two fills. <br />Coal Production <br />Extraction of coal is projected to continue until the year 2017. Production in any one year over <br />the next five years is not expected to exceed 9 million tons per the Colorado Department of <br />Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Construction Permit 95MF 1040 (Exhibit 8, PAP). <br />Recovered coal is trucked to a primary crusher and coal stockpile located just north of the East <br />Pit. From there coal is trucked to a secondary crusher and coal stockpile located approximately <br />four miles north at the Gossard Loadout. Stoker coal is crushed, stored and loaded separately <br />from other coal at the loadout. Both types of coal are shipped to customers by rail. In addition, <br />coal may be hauled from the crushers or the loadout area by truck to State Highway 13. <br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance January 2012 <br />Permit Renewal 06 Page 121 <br />