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Susan Burgmaier -4- May 2,2013 <br />As can be seen in Appendix A, it was estimated that approximately 72,600 CY of topsoil <br />material would be salvaged. However, the amount actually salvaged, to date, is approximately <br />42,500 CY, forty percent of the estimated salvage volume. Discrepancies between estimated <br />and actual salvage volumes has occurred since the beginning of the disturbance associated <br />with the mining operation. As discussed on page 2.05 -51, reasons for the discrepancy in <br />estimated versus actual topsoil volumes include rocky soils, steep terrain and difference in <br />actual versus projected topsoil depth. <br />Phasing of reclamation and topsoil replacement necessarily has to change due to how the pile <br />is being constructed, and therefore how it will be reclaimed. Due to circumstances beyond <br />Bowie's control, they have to continually revise their gob pile plans at the gob pile #2/ #4 <br />location until an air permit can be secured for gob pile #3. Bowie does not have a high level of <br />confidence that an air permit will be issued in the near future, and therefore is currently <br />planning another expansion to the gob pile #2/ #4 area. Where Topsoil piles D &E are currently <br />located, gob will eventually be placed. (A Technical Revision incorporating this expansion will <br />be forthcoming and is presented here in concept as a means to further demonstrate the <br />necessity of revising the topsoil distribution plan). <br />Removal of topsoil from piles D and E will need to be performed in one step, and then gob will <br />be replaced within in the void created in a very short window of time. In order to accomplish <br />this, the topsoil replacement depth throughout the pile will vary which is why it has been <br />demonstrated that coverfill can be used as a topsoil substitute and /or replacement in some <br />locations. <br />Phase I of topsoil replacement will be to place 0.75 feet of topsoil on the west side of gob pile <br />#4 and benches two and three of gob pile #2. After placement of topsoil on bench three, the <br />topsoil remaining in the stockpile(s) will be moved to the top of the coverfill stockpile. Then, <br />gob will be placed in the void left by topsoil stockpiles D & E. (No gob will be placed in the void <br />left by stockpiles D & E until approval from DBMS is granted). <br />Phase II of topsoil replacement will be to place topsoil on benches four & five, the top of gob <br />pile #2 and in the footprint of the coverfill stockpile. The replacement depth will be <br />approximately 0.5 feet. <br />Phasing of the topsoil removal and replacement with gob is an important step, as well as not <br />re- handling more topsoil than necessary. In order to accomplish these two steps, topsoil will <br />be placed on areas that are to grade and ready to receive topsoil. Then, the remaining topsoil <br />will be moved and stockpiled until reclamation of the remaining benches. By phasing <br />replacement in such a manner, disturbance of topsoil resources will be minimized, and creation <br />of a new storage location for gob will be accomplished in a timely manner. A schematic of the <br />reclamation plan with bench locations has been created and is incorporated as new page App. <br />A -2. <br />