Laserfiche WebLink
I. PROCEDURES AND SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW PROCESS <br /> Mountain Coal Company, LLC applied for Partial Phase I Bond Release under the Colorado Surface <br /> Coal Mining and Reclamation Act following reclamation of a portion of the West Elk Mine. The mine <br /> is located in Delta and Gunnison Counties. The mine permit area is located in: Portions of Sections 9 <br /> through 36 (inclusive),Township 13 South, Range 90 West; Portions of Sections 23 through 26 <br /> (inclusive),Township 13 South,Range 91 West; Portions of Sections 1 through 5, 8 through 12, 14 <br /> through 16, and 21 through 23,Township 14 South, Range 90 West; all of the 6th P.M. <br /> Summary of Previous Bond Releases <br /> Partial Phase I Bond Release SL-01 was received on July 19,2004 and requested a release of <br /> 15.19 acres for the thermal event disturbance area. The Division approved the Partial Phase I <br /> Bond Release SL-01 on October 14, 2005 and released$79,727.00 <br /> Partial Phase I Bond Release SL-02 was received on July 26,2004 and requested a release of 5.5 <br /> acres for the Lone Pine Gulch facilities area. The Division approved the Partial Phase I Bond <br /> Release SL-02 on November 2,2005 and released$122,629.00 <br /> Partial Phase I Bond Release SL-03 was received on May 16,2011 and requested a release of <br /> 47.65 acres. The release included the plugging and abandonment of 74 drill holes,the <br /> backfilling and regrading of 48 drill pads and the backfilling and regrading of approximately 8.5 <br /> miles of roads. The Division issued its proposed decision to approve the Partial Phase I Bond <br /> Release SL-03 on August 10, 2012 and released$470,488.00 <br /> Partial Phase II Bond Release SL-04 was received on October 3,2013 and requested a release of <br /> 67.6 acres. The release included the replacement of topsoil and revegetation to control erosion to <br /> pre-mining levels on vent shafts, drill pads and their associated light-use roads. The Division <br /> issued its proposed decision to approve the Partial Phase II Bond Release SL-04 on July 8,2013 <br /> and released$196,037.00 <br /> Partial Phase I Bond Release SL-05 was received on February 22, 2013 and requested a release <br /> of 13.85 acres. The release included the plugging and abandonment of 24 drill holes,the <br /> backfilling and regrading of 17 drill pads and the backfilling and regrading of approximately 2.1 <br /> miles of roads. The Division issued its proposed decision to approve the Partial Phase I Bond <br /> Release SL-05 on February 11,2014 and released$94,475.00 <br /> Partial Phase III Bond Release SL-06 was received on December 3, 2013 and requested the final <br /> bond release of 24.2 acres. The release included the Lone Pine area,the thermal event area and <br /> the West Point area. The Division issued its proposed decision to approve the Partial Phase III <br /> Bond Release SL-06 on June 12,2015 and released$69,761.00 <br /> Partial Phase I Bond Release SL-07 was received on May 1,2014 and requested a release of <br /> 19.23 acres. The release included the plugging and abandonment of 22 drill holes,the <br /> backfilling and regrading of 22 drill pads and the backfilling and regrading of the associated <br /> light-use roads and road spurs. The release also included the Partial Phase I Release of the <br /> C-1980-007 Page 3 of 10 <br />