2016-11-23_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981041

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I. PROCEDURES AND SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW PROCESS Snowcap Coal Company, Inc. (SCC) applied for partial Phase II and Phase III bond release (SL - 09) under the Colorado Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act following reclamation of the Roadside Portals. The mine is located in Mesa County, Portions of Sections 26, 27, 28, 34, and 35, T10S, R98W, 6th PM; Portions of Section 2, TI IS, R98W, 6th PM. The location of these sections is contained within the U.S. Geological Survey 7.5 minute Cameo and Palisade Quadrangle maps. The permit area is approximately three miles north east of Palisade, Colorado at the Interstate 70 Cameo Exit No. 46. The specific areas to which this bond release request applies are included within the Permit Boundary and are located as follows: T10S, R98W, 6th P.M. Section 27: Portions of S1/2, SWI/4 Section 28: Portions of SEI/4 Section 34: Portions of SW 1/4 and Portions of NE 1/4, NE 1/4 This is the ninth bond release request (SL -09) filed for the Roadside North and South Portal Mines. The initial (SL -01) application was withdrawn. The SL -02 application for Phase I bond release was approved October 27, 2003. Various reclaimed surface facility locations within the permit area were granted Phase I bond release based on proper completion of facilities removal, drainage control, and backfilling and grading by the SL -02 decision. The SL -03 application was approved October 31, 2007 and released from full liability areas overlying underground workings at the Roadside North and South Portal Mmes totaling 7,294 acres. The SL -04 application was approved January 26, 2009 and 18 acres were released from Phase I liability in the South Portal areas and at the site of the former overland conveyor/tube structure. The SL - 05 application was approved November 5, 2009 and released 2.1 acres from full liability at the "Overland Conveyor" area located adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad and south of 19/10 Road. The SL -06 application was approved December 14, 2010 and released 14.8 reclaimed acres from Phase II and III liability at an area referred to as the South Portal in T10S, R98W, Section 34. The SL -07 application was approved April 26, 2011 and released 75.2 acres from Phase I, II, and III liability at the Unit Tram Loadout facility. The SL -08 application was approved on November 14, 2015 and released 22.2 acres of Phase I liability, 136.5 acres of Phase II liability, and 128.0 acres of Phase III liability. The Division also released 744.0 acres of affected area (lands overlying underground coal mine workings). The SL -09 application for Phase II and III bond release was received by the Division on August 15, 2016. The application was deemed complete on September 15, 2016, after the Division received proof of publication of the applicant's public notice. SCC published notice of the bond release application in The Daily Sentinel once weekly for four consecutive weeks, beginning July 29th, 2016. Snowcap Coal Company, Inc. also notified land owners within and adjacent to the areas requested for bond release, and other interested parties, of the application for bond release as required by Rule 3.03.2(1). With the SL -09 application, SCC requested 2.8 acres for Phase Il bond release, 10.3 acres for Phase II and III bond release, and .5 acres for Phase III bond release. SCC also requestedtermination of jurisdiction over .2 acres of affected area associated with undisturbed land that overlies underground workings. The total bond release area is 13.8 acres. The bond release application included an exhibit "Bond Release Exhibit SL -09" which shows the acreage C-1981-041, SL -09 Findings Document Page 3 of 79