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$1,250,000 is being requested for release. <br />IL CRITERIA AND SCHEDULE FOR BOND RELEASE <br />PHASE I <br />Rule 3.03.1(2)(a) states, "Up to sixty percent of the applicable bond amount shall be released when the <br />permittee successfully completes backfilling, regrading, and drainage control in accordance with the <br />approved reclamation plan." With regard to the SL -4 Phase I bond release, the approved reclamation <br />plan for the Bowie No. 1 Mine requires BRL to backfill the benches at the East Mine, narrow the main <br />haul road, reclaim the diversion channel (zones 3 -A, -B & -C), regrade the Timber Storage Area (ROM), <br />remove the culvert and reconstruct Stevens Creek, construct ditch 7 drainage, demolish and remove <br />remaining structures and foundations at the East Mine (except guard shack foundation) and reclamation <br />of the West Ridge Refuse pile. At the request of the private surface owner, the narrowed haul road will <br />remain in place for access to rangeland which is consistent with the post mining land use. <br />The portals and benches at the Bowie No. 1 East Mine were constructed in 1975, prior to the enactment <br />of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) and the current Regulations of the <br />Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining. A variance from the requirement for all <br />affected lands to be restored to their approximate original contour (AOC) was obtained and is discussed <br />in section 2.06.5 of the permit. The variance applies to the mine benches only and was granted because <br />it was demonstrated that backfilling the benches to AOC on such steep slopes would not achieve the <br />required slope stability safety factor of 1.3 (see Volumes 6 and 6A, Stability Analysis). The factors of <br />safety for individual cuts and fills had to be increased by redesign and reconstruction to achieve a stable <br />final reclaimed configuration in accordance with the regulations. The final reclaimed configuration for <br />the surface facilities at the mine was submitted and approved in Technical Revision No. 28 (TR -28). <br />The change in AOC is consistent with the post mining land use of wildlife habitat and rangeland and is <br />acceptable to the land owners of record and adjacent land owners. Written letters from the landowners <br />are in Volume 9, Land Use Appendix. The main narrowed haul road is to remain in place for access to <br />rangeland as per the request of the landowners (letter is in Volume 9, Land Use Appendix). The <br />permanent haul road was reduced from 20 to 16 feet in width and benches were backfilled in accordance <br />with the procedures outlined in section 2.06.5. The reclamation of the East Mine was separated into 18 <br />different zones which are outlined on Map 6A -5C and the final contours are shown on Maps 6A -5A <br />through 6A -50 in the permit. It was also demonstrated, as required by Rule 2.06.5(2)(d), that the <br />watershed of lands within the proposed permit area and adjacent areas will be improved by the variance <br />of AOC (see Volume 1, Part 2.06 Special Categories of Mining, pages 4i — 4xii). <br />Reclamation zone 4 -D contains a series of benches and sandstone outcrops. The benches were reduced <br />to less than 20 feet in width and the crests of individual benches were cleaned of loose rock. Material <br />was placed on the benches of the outcrops to form buttresses which were sloped to 2H:1 V and <br />compacted to 90% of max dry density. These features were addressed in TR -28. <br />The old coal waste disposal area, situated between ponds 1 and 2, was started in 1980 and reclaimed in <br />1983. A stipulation in the original findings document allowed that, as long as the volume of the refuse <br />4 <br />