2019-10-22_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981019

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The land for which bond release has been requested is owned by Colowyo Coal Company L.P. The coal within the area in which is being requested with SL-16 is Federal(BLM) owned. Reclamation work for the East and South Taylor Pits for which part of the bond release has been requested was conducted through the calendar years of 2011 and 2014. The East Side Collection Ditch and Gulch A Pond being requested under the SL-16 application were constructed in the 1980's and remain stable and functional. IL PROCEDURES AND SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW PROCESS Colowyo applied for a partial Phase I Bond Release for 3.3 disturbed acres in the East Pit and 5.2 disturbed acres for the Gulch A Pond and East Side Collection Ditch as shown on Map 1 and Map 2 of the SL-16 application. Originally, Colowyo applied for a partial Phase II for 83.3 disturbed acres show on Map 1 of the SL-16 application. At the request of the Colowyo, dated September 12, 2019,the Division removed reclamation parcel ST001 from the SL-16 bond release process. Reclamation parcel ST001 accounted for 44.8 of the disturbed acres requested and was not evaluated for partial Phase II Bond Release. The total bond release area evaluated for partial Phase II Bond Release for SL-16 is 38.5 disturbed acres in the East and South Taylor Pits as well as the Gulch A Pond and East Side Collection Ditch A. Additionally, Colowyo has requested partial Phase III Bond Release for the Gulch A Pond and East Side Collection Ditch A. These structures have been requested by the landowner, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State),to be retained as permanent structures. The areas evaluated as part of the SL-16 bond release process are located in Moffat County, Colorado. The bond release area is located in the Colowyo Mine's East Pit and South Taylor Pit in portions of Township 3 North, Range 93 West of the 6t'Principal Meridian, Section 10 and 15. The permit area can be found on the USGS Quadrangle 7.5 Minute Series Maps of Axial and Nine Mile Gap. The permit area and surface ownership can be found on Map 1, and the coal ownership can be found on Map 2 of the Permit Application Package (PAP). Background The East Pit and West Pit mining sites lie just west of the northward flowing Goodspring (also referred to as Good Spring) Creek, which is paralleled by Colorado Highway 13. The area includes gently sloping uplands and valleys that cut into the upland surface. These valleys are generally narrow, v-shaped, and about 250 to 500 feet deep. Elevations range from approximately 7,650 feet in the upper portion of East Pit reclamation to 6,950 feet near East Taylor Pond. Mining operations began in 1976 with the East Pit, a multi-seam coal operation that continued to move in a southerly direction. Eight coal seams (Y, X, A, B, C, D, E, F) were mined from the East Pit, ranging in thickness from two to fifteen feet. The East Pit is nearly 6,000 feet from east to west(width), 1,000 feet in breadth (highwall to highwall), and 450 feet deep. Due to the number of coal seams, immense size of the pit, and manpower and equipment employed, pit progression was slow, with additional disturbances of approximately 40 to 50 acres per year. Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance October 22,2019 Partial Phase I,II and III Bond Release SL-16 Page 2