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Introduction <br />This document is the proposed decision of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(the Division) in response to a request for Partial Phase III Bond Release at the West Elk Mine, Division <br />permit number C-1980-007. The package contains four parts. These include: 1) procedures and <br />summary of the bond release process; 2) criteria and schedule for bond release; 3) observations and <br />findings of the Division regarding compliance with the bond release requirements of the Colorado <br />Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act and regulations promulgated thereunder; and 4) the <br />Division's proposed decision on the request for bond release. <br />Detailed information about the review process can be found in the Act and the Regulations of the <br />Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining. All Rules referenced within this document <br />are contained within the Regulations. Detailed information about the mining and reclamation operations <br />can be found in the permit application on file at the Division offices, located at 1313 Sherman Street, <br />Room 215, in Denver, Colorado. <br />The West Elk Mine is an underground coal mine which is permitted and operated by Mountain Coal <br />Company, LLC (MCC). The ownership of the land for which bond release has been requested is federal, <br />and the coal ownership was also federal. Reclamation for which bond release has been requested was <br />conducted between 2002 and 2004. MCC is requesting Phase III release on a total of 22.1 acres. The <br />release includes the revegetation of 18 drill pads, including seven with associated spur roads; and four <br />road segments. <br />West Elk Mine <br />Partial Phase III Bond Release SL -09 Findings Page 2 of 8 <br />