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February 28, 2018
<br />Jim Stark, 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 SL -6 Partial Phase I and II Bond Release, Bowie #1 Mine, Permit No. C-
<br />1981-038, DRMS Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance, February 15. 2018
<br />Dear Mr. Stark,
<br />This letter acknowledges the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)
<br />Denver Field Division's (DFD) receipt and review of the above Phase I and 11 Bond Release
<br />Proposed Decision document prepared by the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety
<br />(DRMS) dated February 15, 2018. DFD agrees with the findings and decision document and
<br />hereby provides OSMRE concurrence for the above bond release action in accordance with 30
<br />CFR 740.15 (d) (3), and 30 CFR 906.30, Article IX, Section 24, of the State -Federal Cooperative
<br />Agreement.
<br />DRMS's Proposed Decision documents the applicant's compliance with the approved Colorado
<br />regulatory program at Rule 3.03.2. This Phase I bond release applies to 2.31 acres including 25
<br />drillhole pads and six sedimentation ponds, and the II bond release applies to 58.84 Acres of the
<br />East Mine area. Land surface and mineral estates are a combination of federal and private
<br />ownership. Reclamation for which bond release is currently being granted was conducted in
<br />2008, 2009, and 2017.
<br />OSMRE was invited but could not attend the bond release inspection on September 19, 2017.
<br />The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was invited and was able to attend. BLM provided
<br />their concurrence with this bond release on February 27, 2018 (see attachment). OSMRE
<br />interprets the BLM's concurrence to mean that Bowie Resources, LLC is in compliance with all
<br />applicable BLM coal lease stipulations. Based on available documentation, OSMRE agrees with
<br />DRMS's determination that Bowie Resources, LLC has met or exceeded the requirements for
<br />Phase 1 bond release on the 2.31 acres and II bond release on the 58.84 acres of land as described
<br />above.
<br />The Division currently holds a performance bond in the amount of $3,264,189.05 for the Bowie
<br />#1 Mine. The Division now proposes to release $484,986.72. DRMS has determined that the
<br />remaining $2,779,202.33 in bond liability is sufficient to assure completion of the reclamation
<br />United States Department of the Interior
<br />*40CI�
<br />OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING
<br />Reclamation and Enforcement
<br />,S
<br />western Region Office
<br />H
<br />1999 Broadway, Suite 3320
<br />Denver, CO 80202-3050
<br />February 28, 2018
<br />Jim Stark, 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 SL -6 Partial Phase I and II Bond Release, Bowie #1 Mine, Permit No. C-
<br />1981-038, DRMS Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance, February 15. 2018
<br />Dear Mr. Stark,
<br />This letter acknowledges the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)
<br />Denver Field Division's (DFD) receipt and review of the above Phase I and 11 Bond Release
<br />Proposed Decision document prepared by the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety
<br />(DRMS) dated February 15, 2018. DFD agrees with the findings and decision document and
<br />hereby provides OSMRE concurrence for the above bond release action in accordance with 30
<br />CFR 740.15 (d) (3), and 30 CFR 906.30, Article IX, Section 24, of the State -Federal Cooperative
<br />Agreement.
<br />DRMS's Proposed Decision documents the applicant's compliance with the approved Colorado
<br />regulatory program at Rule 3.03.2. This Phase I bond release applies to 2.31 acres including 25
<br />drillhole pads and six sedimentation ponds, and the II bond release applies to 58.84 Acres of the
<br />East Mine area. Land surface and mineral estates are a combination of federal and private
<br />ownership. Reclamation for which bond release is currently being granted was conducted in
<br />2008, 2009, and 2017.
<br />OSMRE was invited but could not attend the bond release inspection on September 19, 2017.
<br />The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was invited and was able to attend. BLM provided
<br />their concurrence with this bond release on February 27, 2018 (see attachment). OSMRE
<br />interprets the BLM's concurrence to mean that Bowie Resources, LLC is in compliance with all
<br />applicable BLM coal lease stipulations. Based on available documentation, OSMRE agrees with
<br />DRMS's determination that Bowie Resources, LLC has met or exceeded the requirements for
<br />Phase 1 bond release on the 2.31 acres and II bond release on the 58.84 acres of land as described
<br />above.
<br />The Division currently holds a performance bond in the amount of $3,264,189.05 for the Bowie
<br />#1 Mine. The Division now proposes to release $484,986.72. DRMS has determined that the
<br />remaining $2,779,202.33 in bond liability is sufficient to assure completion of the reclamation
<br />
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