Laserfiche WebLink
this document for the previous bond release amounts (no amount was released with SL -02 and SL - <br />03 as the associated monies were "floated" to other areas of the mine where there was new <br />disturbance). <br />SL -13 Partial Phase I Bond Release Application <br />The SL -13 application was received by the Division on April 12, 2018 and deemed complete on <br />April 30, 2018. Colowyo published notice of the bond release application in the Craig Daily Press <br />once weekly for four consecutive weeks, beginning March 28, 2018 and ending on April 18, 2018. <br />Colowyo notified land owners within and adjacent to the mine permit area, the Office of Surface <br />Mining (OSM), the BLM, Colorado State Land Board (CSLB) and other interested parties of the <br />application for bond release, as required by Rule 3.03.2(1). No comments, written objections or <br />requests for an informal conference regarding the bond release application were received by the <br />Division. <br />A bond release inspection was scheduled and conducted on May 23, 2018. The site inspection was <br />conducted in accordance with Rule 3.03.2(2). Inspection attendees included: Zach Trujillo of the <br />Division; Christine Belka of OSM; and Angela Aalbers and Kurtis Blunt of Colowyo. No <br />representatives from the BLM, State or local agencies, or adjacent land owners attended the <br />inspection. A summary of the bond release inspection are presented in Section N, below. Detailed <br />observations of the inspection are documented in the inspection report that was issued June 26, <br />2018. See Figures 1, 2 and 3 for the location of the SL -13 partial Phase I Bond Release areas. <br />III. CRITERIA FOR BOND RELEASE <br />Phase I Bond Release <br />The Division evaluated Colowyo's request for partial Phase I Bond Release on 103.1 acres in the <br />SL -13 application, as shown on Figures 1 — 5 of this document. The process of releasing the <br />reclamation bond for a coal mine site in Colorado is explained in Rule 3.03 and further described in <br />the Division's 1995 Guideline Regarding Selected Coal Mining Bond Release Issues. The bond <br />release process involves three phases. At Phase I, Rule 3.03.1(2) (a) states, "Up to sixty percent of <br />the applicable bond amount shall be released when the permittee successfully completes backfilling, <br />regrading, and drainage control in accordance with the approved reclamation plan." <br />Evaluation and inspection of the reclaimed areas was based on the specific requirements of the <br />reclamation plan and the functional requirements of the post -mining land use. Criteria for bond <br />release included the following. <br />L Hillslope and drainage channel gradients and general design compliance; <br />2. Performance of the reconstructed topography. Symptoms of failure or instabilities such as <br />slumping or exposed highwalls were examined; <br />3. Hillslope design/function with regard to erosion; <br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance August 30, 2018 <br />Partial Phase I Bond Release SL -13 Page 4 <br />