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IX. Coal Mine Waste <br />No specific approvals are granted to the applicant under this section. <br />X. Backfilling and Grading <br />Backfilling and grading is discussed under Section 3.5 of Vol. III of the permit <br />application. <br />The Division previously approved the applicant's request for additional time for <br />backfilling and grading following coal removal in a contour strip mine. A detailed <br />written analysis under 2.05.4(2)(c) has demonstrated that additional time is necessary. <br />The applicant is bonded for a maximum of four (4) spoil ridges at any time within <br />each pit area. Reclamation has historically been, and is proposed to be, completed at <br />approximately the same rate as the disturbance of new ground. (4.14. 1) <br />In the review of Trapper's application for a permit in 1981, the applicant indicated that <br />the post- mining topography cannot be absolutely predicted in advance. Consequently, <br />the Division (then the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division) attached the <br />Stipulation number 10 to the permit. In the November 6, 2000 midterm permit review <br />the stipulation was terminated because it duplicated a permit requirement. The post - <br />mining topography map (annual reclamation map) required by stipulation 10 is a permit <br />requirement in section 3.5.3 of the permit. <br />See the Midterm 2000 review document for basis of termination. <br />XI. Revegetation <br />The Division previously approved Trapper's revegetation plan as set forth in Section 3.6, <br />Vol. III of the permit application. <br />The applicant will use introduced species in the reclamation seed mix. The <br />applicant has submitted information which shows that the introduced species are <br />desirable and necessary to achieve the approved post- mining land use, and are not <br />poisonous or noxious (4.15.2). In conjunction with Trapper's years of reclamation <br />experience, Trapper has reduced the number of introduced species in their seed <br />mixes. The seed mix presented in the 2006 Annual Report for both the Range Sites <br />A & B reduced the more aggressive rhizomatous wheatgrass species while the <br />amount of Beardless bluebunch wheatgrass was increased and Indian ricegrass was <br />added to the seed mix. The seed mix adjustment was found to be acceptable. <br />2. Methods to measure herbaceous cover and production, species diversity, and woody <br />plant density are discussed in section 4.4.1 of Volume IV of the permit application. <br />The cover standards are based on cover which will keep soil loss, due to rill and <br />sheet erosion, to less than 4 tons per acre per year based on the application of the <br />Universal Soil Loss Equation. These standards call for a 52% effective cover on <br />Trapper Mine 31 July 9, 2013 <br />