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Summary and Conclusions <br /> Based upon a review of the mine permit,the applicant's bond release application, and site inspections, <br /> the Division finds that Snowcap Coal Company, Inc. has replaced topsoil in accordance with the <br /> approved reclamation plan. Snowcap has established vegetation which supports the post mining land <br /> use of wildlife habitat and meets the approved success standard for vegetative cover. The 2.4 lands <br /> requested for Phase 11 release contributes runoff to the Colorado River. However,the Colorado River <br /> near Cameo has a drainage area over 5 million acres in size. The 2.4 acres requested for Phase II <br /> release does not measurably affect the quantity or quality of the water in the Colorado River. <br /> PHASE III <br /> The sites requested for Phase III release were inspected on June 27, 2018, including the North <br /> Decline,the Borrow Area,the Conveyor Corridor, Substation A, Substation B, and the Light Use <br /> Road 91. The sites were observed to be stable with established vegetation on them. There were no <br /> indications of erosional features. For more details please see the Division's June 27, 2018 <br /> Inspection Report. All of the sites were supporting the post-mining land use of rangeland and <br /> wildlife habitat. A second bond release inspection was conducted on August 14, 2018, by CDRMS. <br /> The inspection focused on the affected lands with no surface disturbance owned by Mr. Fontanari <br /> that were requested for Phase III release by SCC. The August 14t'inspection was attended by <br /> representatives Tonya Hammond, Jim Stover, John Justus and Karoline Henning for SCC; Mr. <br /> Fontanari was represented by David Fox, Ken Walter and Jim Beckwith; and the Division was <br /> represented by Clayton Wein, Brock Bowles and Daniel Hernandez. During the inspection, features <br /> of the inspected land were recorded by the Division. The features recorded were of an unknown <br /> origin. After the Division completed its assessment of the data collected, five features were <br /> identified by the Division as needing maintenance repairs pursuant to C.R.S. 34-33-121(2)(h). <br /> An objection and a request for an informal conference to the SL-11 bond release application was <br /> submitted by Mr. James Beckwith and was received by the Division on September 14, 2018. On <br /> November 6, 2018 an informal conference was held at the BLM Office in Grand Junction. After <br /> the November 6, 2018 Informal Conference, a subsequent inspection of the areas requested for <br /> release on Tract 70 and Tract 71 was conducted by the Division. The November 28t'inspection <br /> included Tonya Hammond, Jim Stover and John Justus representing SCC; Mr. Fontanari was <br /> represented by David Fox, Ken Walter, Jim Beckwith and Trevor Gross; and the Division was <br /> represented by Clayton Wein and Daniel Hernandez. The November 28, 2018 inspection identified <br /> and marked locations with a GPS unit that potentially required maintenance within Tract 70 and <br /> Tract 71. A total of 19 locational features were identified during the inspection for potential <br /> maintenance repairs pursuant to C.R.S. 34-33-121(2)(h). Of the 19 repairs identified, 5 were <br /> features previously identified by the Division in the August 14, 2018 Inspection Report. All 19 of <br /> the locations identified were on lands within the affected area of the Roadside Mine. For more <br /> details,please see the Division's November 28, 2018 Inspection Report. SCC committed to <br /> conducting maintenance operations on the identified sites and completed the maintenance repairs on <br /> March 27, 2019. The Division conducted an inspection on April 1, 2019 to verify the maintenance <br /> 6 <br />