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5. Completion of all reclamation obligations. <br /> <br />With regard to Phase III bond release, all disturbed area acreages are associated with Phase III <br />bond release are within the Freeman Gulch rock slide area or within lands associated and bonded <br />under currently active disturbance. In July 2007, a large rockslide occurred in the area of the <br />Freeman Gulch vent fan pad. The area of the rockslide covered approximately 38 acres and <br />permanently destroyed and covered the Freeman Gulch vent shaft pad (1.0 acre). Although the <br />Freeman Gulch vent shaft site was destroyed by the rockslide, the shaft was sealed and the site <br />reclaimed as noted by the Division in the inspection report dated June 15, 2004. <br /> <br />In addition, drill sites GVB-D2-C (0.4 acres of road and 0.2 acres of pad), GVB-6C (0.5 acres of <br />pad), GVB-D3-B (0.2 acres of road and 0.5 acres of pad), and GVB-D4-A (0.4 acres of road and <br />0.3 acres of pad) have been identified as disturbed, with the approved disturbance falling within <br />the disturbance of the Freeman Gulch permanent road. Site Geo-Tech-04 (0.6 acres of pad) falls <br />within the approved disturbance area of the Hubbard Creek vent shaft pad disturbance. Due to <br />the circumstances of the rockslide and the approved disturbances associated with the reclaimed <br />drill sites, the requested Phase III release sites are not required to meet the requirements under <br />Rule 3.03.1(2)(c) as the sites fall within areas of permanent disturbances or other disturbances <br />that are currently bonded. <br /> <br />PREVIOUSLY RELEASED SITES <br /> <br />In addition to the disturbances associated with this SL-01 bond release application, a number of <br />sites have been bonded under the Bowie No. 2 Mine which were previously released under a <br />Notice of Intent to Explore bond release approval. These sites will be removed from the Bowie <br />No. 2 Mine liability as a part of this SL-01 bond release. The sites to be removed are identified <br />in Table 5. <br /> <br />III. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS <br /> <br />The bond release inspection for this bond release application was conducted on August 4, 5 and 6, <br />2015. During the inspection, the majority of the Pitkin Pipeline disturbance, the methane drainage <br />well pads and road disturbance, and the Hubbard Creek Pad disturbance associated with SL-01 were <br />visually assessed for compliance with pertinent requirements. Relevant documentation developed <br />over the life of the operation, including information from operator annual reports and prior Division <br />inspection reports, has also been utilized in the compliance evaluation. Such documentation is <br />referenced in this section as appropriate. <br /> <br />The inspection review for SL-01 included a review of all drillhole abandonment reports associated <br />with methane drainage wells requested to be released under SL-01. During the SL-01 bond release <br />inspection, noxious or invasive vegetation management issues were noted on several disturbed areas <br />and are referenced in the Division’s inspection report. No maintenance issues were noted that <br />would prevent the release of the requested areas inspected. <br /> <br /> <br />