2015-07-02_REVISION - C1981041 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

review process for the initial permanent program permit application, a Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance for permit approval was written on November 4, 1982. The Division issued a five -year -term permit with stipulations on January 3, 1983 and designated Permit Number C-1981-041 for the Roadside Portals Mine. Snowcap Coal Company acquired the mine from Powderhorn Coal Company in 2002. The Transfer of Permit/Succession of Operator (SO -2) became final on April 14, 2002. The official status of the operation is `permanent cessation' as there has been no coal extraction at the mine since December 1999. Extensive reclamation work has been conducted at the mine since coal extraction ceased, much of the work performed after acquisition of the operation by Snowcap Coal Company (SCC) in 2002. With the exception of the train loadout facility, ongoing activity is limited to monitoring, maintenance and reclamation. With approval of Permit Revision 4 (PR -4), the unit train loadout, a portion of the railroad spur and overland conveyor corridor north of 19/10 Road was converted from `Fish and Wildlife Habitat' to `Industrial or Commercial' for the Unit Train Loadout area. The land use change allowed for long term post -mine use of the loadout area and various associated facilities for rail loading, unloading and storage of construction materials. SCC entered into a purchase and sale agreement with Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. (Halliburton) in 2006 for the loadout and a portion of the railroad spur and overland conveyor. Halliburton finalized the purchase of the property in September 2009 and obtained the necessary Conditional Use Permit (CUP) from Mesa County in 2009. Following approval of PR -4 and the CUP from Mesa County, Halliburton has been actively using the site as the Cameo Sand Offloading Facility. During active operations, mine portals, coal processing facilities and a coal mine waste disposal area were located south and east of the interstate and river. Additional mine portals, coal handling facilities, two coal mine waste disposal areas and a rail loadout facility were located north and west of the river. At present, the North Portals have been sealed and backfilled, North Portal facilities demolished and backfilling and grading of the North Portal Facilities area is complete. The two coal waste disposal areas north and west of the river in Coal Canyon have been fully reclaimed. The South Mine, located south and east of I-70, the South Portal has been sealed, the coal processing plant and various other facilities have been demolished and removed. Earthwork and revegetation at the South Portal facilities have been completed and the refuse disposal area has been reclaimed. Final reclamation plans for the South Portal facilities were modified by Permit Revision 3 (PR -3), approved in September 2007. PR -3 incorporated a variance from approximate original contour (AOC) and allowed for retention of certain buildings and facilities in order to accommodate a commercial post -mining land use. All major reclamation tasks have been completed. The original permit has been granted renewal for successive five year permit terms six times and the most recent renewal decision was finalized in March 2013. An application for permit renewal was submitted by Snowcap Coal Company on July 2, 2012 and deemed administratively complete on July 11, 2012. On February 1, 2013 the Division approved the permit renewal without stipulations for another five year term expiring on January 3, 2018. Since the permit renewal issuance date of January 3, 2013 for RN -6, no Notices of Violation have been issued, and three technical revisions (TR) and four minor revisions (MR) have been submitted and processed. Bond Release 8 (SL -8) was received by the Division on September 4, 2013 and deemed Roadside North and South Mines -3- 7/2/2014