2021-01-05_REVISION - C1981022 (3)

Home Browse Search

Public Notice Oxbow Mining, LLC (OMLLC), P.O. Box 535, Somerset, CO 81434, (970) 929-5122, has filed a Phase III Final Bond Release Request (SL-04) to OMLLC's Mining and Reclamation Permit No. C-1981-022 with the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board (Board), under the provisions of the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act of 1979. The permit was originally issued by the Board in October 11, 1983, and subsequently renewed. The State of Colorado holds a surety reclamation bond in the amount of $4,500,000.00 that exceeds the current reclamation liability of $4,113,573.04. OMLLC's approved permit area is located in Gunnison and Delta Counties north of the town of Somerset and the North Fork of the Gunnison River. OMLLC's current permit area is included within areas found on the Somerset and Bowie USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle maps and is generally described as follows: Township 12 South, Range 90 West, 6th PM, all or parts of Sections 27-34; Township 12 South, Range 91 West, 6th PM, all or parts of Sections 25-27 and 34-36; Township 13 South, Range 89 West 6th PM, all or parts of Sections 6 and 7; Township 13 South, Range 90 West, 6th PM, all or parts of Sections 1-12 and 17; Township 3 South, Range 91 West, 6th PM, all or parts of Sections 1-3 and 11-13. The permit area contains approximately 15,676.51 acres of surface lands of which 5,551 acres are on private land and 10,125.51 acres are on federal land. OMLLC is requesting a Phase III Bond Release for certain reclaimed mine ventilation boreholes, drill pads, and associated road segments and surface disturbance at the mine. These reclaimed areas comprise approximately 48.81 acres of private, Bureau of Land Management, and National Forest System lands. These sites and roads were necessary for prior coal mining operations. OMLLC is requesting a release of a total of 100% of the reclamation bond applicable to sites proposed for Phase III bond release, as allowed by Colorado Statute and Rule 3.03. This amount will be verified by the State of Colorado. Revegetated sites have met the applicable vegetation bond release criteria for Phase III bond release and have been shown to support the approved post -mining land uses, and demonstrate the establishment of a diverse, effective and permanent vegetation community of the same seasonal variety native to the land disturbed. Reclamation of the sites for which Phase III bond release is being requested was completed between 1996 and 2011. Reclamation included backfilling and regrading of surface disturbance, plugging and abandonment of drill holes, reclamation of pad locations and roads, with subsequent replacement of plant growth medium, and implementation of sediment control measures. The areas proposed for bond release have been revegetated using various methods of seeding, fertilizing, and mulching consistent with the requirements of the various surface landowners. A copy of the bond release application is available for review at the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver, CO 80203, phone (303) 866-3567, the Gunnison County Planning Office, 221 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, CO 81230, the Delta County Clerk and Recorder, Delta County Courthouse, 501 Palmer St. 9211, Delta, Colorado 81416, and the Paonia Public Library, 80 Samuel Wade Rd., Paonia, CO 81428 during the review period. All information pertinent to the bond release request is presented within this application. Comments or objections concerning the application should be directed to the CDRMS at the above address not later than 30 days after the last date of publication of this notice (published 4 times consecutively) in order to be considered. Published , 2020/2021.