DEC 0 9 2016
<br />Mike Boulay, Director
<br />Office of Mined Land Reclamation
<br />Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety
<br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
<br />Denver, CO 80203-2273
<br />RE: Approval of SI. -9 Phase U and III Bond Release, Roadside Mine, Permit No. C-1981-041
<br />Dear Mr. Boulay,
<br />This letter acknowledges tite Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), Denver
<br />Field Division (DFD) receipt and review of the above Phase 11 and III Bond Release Proposed Decision
<br />document prepared by the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DBMS) dated November 23,
<br />2016. The Proposed Decision documents the applicant's compliance with lite approved Colorado
<br />regulatory program at Rule 3.03.2.
<br />DRMS's proposed decision approves 2.8 acres of Phase Il, 10.3 acres of Phases II and 111, and 0.5 acres
<br />of Phase III bond release. This bond release applies to portions of the Roadside Mine northeast of
<br />Palisade, Colorado. OSMRE participated in lite bond release inspection held on October 6, 2016. The
<br />Bureau of Land Management did not participate in lite inspection. By letter dated December 6, 2016, the
<br />BLM provided its concurrence with the SL -9 bond release (attached). OSMRE interprets the BLM's
<br />concurrence to mean the Roadside Mine is in compliance with all BLM coal lease stipulations,
<br />OSMRE agrees with DRMS that Snowcap Coal Company, Ittc. has met or exceeded lite requirements for
<br />Phase II and/or III bond release on the specified 13.6 acres of land as described in DRMS Proposed
<br />Decision document. The Division currently holds a performance bond in lite amount of $805,952.60 for
<br />the Roadside Mine. DRMS proposes to release $52,216.63 with this bond release action ($6,415.15 less
<br />than the amount Snowcap Coal Company requested). OSMRE agrees with the findings and decision
<br />document and hereby provides OSMRE concurrence for the above bond release action in accordance with
<br />30 CFR 740.15 (d) (3), and 30 CFR 906.30, Article IX, Section 24, of the Stale-Fcderal Cooperative
<br />Agreement.
<br />Thank you and your staff for coordinating this Federal mine bond release action through the DFD. Please
<br />direct any questions concerning this action to Christine Belka, Senior Regulatory Program Specialist at
<br />ChCL�.1i i�OSM Rr-,.L y or (303) 293-5020.
<br />Sincerely,
<br />j & /Xoo�
<br />Alan Boeluns, Chief
<br />Denver Field Branch
<br />Cc: Tonya Hammond, Snowcap Coal Company Inc.
<br />United States Department of the Interior
<br />Off
<br />OFFICE Op SURFACE MINING
<br />iieelnmation find G+
<br />-
<br />western Region Officc
<br />1999 Broadway, Suite 3320
<br />Denver, CO 80202-3050
<br />DEC 0 9 2016
<br />Mike Boulay, Director
<br />Office of Mined Land Reclamation
<br />Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety
<br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
<br />Denver, CO 80203-2273
<br />RE: Approval of SI. -9 Phase U and III Bond Release, Roadside Mine, Permit No. C-1981-041
<br />Dear Mr. Boulay,
<br />This letter acknowledges tite Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), Denver
<br />Field Division (DFD) receipt and review of the above Phase 11 and III Bond Release Proposed Decision
<br />document prepared by the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DBMS) dated November 23,
<br />2016. The Proposed Decision documents the applicant's compliance with lite approved Colorado
<br />regulatory program at Rule 3.03.2.
<br />DRMS's proposed decision approves 2.8 acres of Phase Il, 10.3 acres of Phases II and 111, and 0.5 acres
<br />of Phase III bond release. This bond release applies to portions of the Roadside Mine northeast of
<br />Palisade, Colorado. OSMRE participated in lite bond release inspection held on October 6, 2016. The
<br />Bureau of Land Management did not participate in lite inspection. By letter dated December 6, 2016, the
<br />BLM provided its concurrence with the SL -9 bond release (attached). OSMRE interprets the BLM's
<br />concurrence to mean the Roadside Mine is in compliance with all BLM coal lease stipulations,
<br />OSMRE agrees with DRMS that Snowcap Coal Company, Ittc. has met or exceeded lite requirements for
<br />Phase II and/or III bond release on the specified 13.6 acres of land as described in DRMS Proposed
<br />Decision document. The Division currently holds a performance bond in lite amount of $805,952.60 for
<br />the Roadside Mine. DRMS proposes to release $52,216.63 with this bond release action ($6,415.15 less
<br />than the amount Snowcap Coal Company requested). OSMRE agrees with the findings and decision
<br />document and hereby provides OSMRE concurrence for the above bond release action in accordance with
<br />30 CFR 740.15 (d) (3), and 30 CFR 906.30, Article IX, Section 24, of the Stale-Fcderal Cooperative
<br />Agreement.
<br />Thank you and your staff for coordinating this Federal mine bond release action through the DFD. Please
<br />direct any questions concerning this action to Christine Belka, Senior Regulatory Program Specialist at
<br />ChCL�.1i i�OSM Rr-,.L y or (303) 293-5020.
<br />Sincerely,
<br />j & /Xoo�
<br />Alan Boeluns, Chief
<br />Denver Field Branch
<br />Cc: Tonya Hammond, Snowcap Coal Company Inc.
<br />
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