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I. Introduction <br />This document presents the proposed decision of the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and <br />Safety (Division) for the Termination of Jurisdiction (TOJ) at the Coal Basin Mine, Revoked Permit <br />Number C- 1981 -017. The Coal Basin Mine is a permit revocation /bond forfeiture site. The <br />permittee at the time of permit revocation and bond forfeiture was Mid - Continent Resources. The <br />permit area under consideration for termination of jurisdiction consists of 10,981 acres. All of the <br />surface acreage is public property managed by the U. S. Forest Service. Of the 10,981 permitted <br />acres, 310 acres were disturbed and subsequently reclaimed. This termination of jurisdiction <br />process (SL -2) was initiated by the Division following expiration of a ten year liability period and <br />upon completion of vegetation sampling at the site. <br />The Division has followed the requirements for review, public notice and public participation as <br />required for a bond release application in accordance with The Regulations of the Colorado Mined <br />Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining - Rule 3.03. Detailed information about the bond release <br />review process can be found in the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act, the Regulations <br />of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining <br />(http: / /mining. state. co. us/ SiteCollectionDocuments /CoalRegulations91405.pdf) and the Guideline <br />Regarding Selected Coal Mine Bond Release Issues (April 18 1995) <br />(http: / /mining. state .co.us /Programs /Coal /RulesRegs/ Documents /Bond ReleaseGuidelines.pdf). <br />Detailed information about mining and reclamation operations at the Coal Basin Mine can be found <br />in the permanent program mining and reclamation permit application (C- 1981 -017) and associated <br />records on file at the Division offices located at 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215, Denver, Colorado <br />80203 or online at http: / /drmsweblink. state. co. us / drmsweblink /search.aspx ?dbid =0. <br />II. Background and History of the Coal Basin Mine <br />The Coal Basin Mine is located approximately four miles west of Redstone, Colorado in Pitkin and <br />Gunnison Counties. The operator of the mine, Mid - Continent Resources declared bankruptcy in <br />1992. Subsequently, the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board (Board) revoked the permit, and <br />forfeited the reclamation bond in September, 1993. As a result of these actions, the Division <br />assumed the task of completing mine reclamation. Reclamation construction began in 1994, as <br />provided for in Colorado Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act and was substantially <br />completed by the end of 2001 with some maintenance work continuing through 2006. <br />1 <br />