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<br />2 | P a g e <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Introduction: <br /> <br />The Colony Mine began in 1964 and is located approximately 13.3 miles north of <br />Parachute, Colorado. The Colony Mine was an oil shale mine that was intended to <br />extract oil from the shale using TOSCO II retorting technology, developed by Tosco <br />Corporation. Multiple different companies have bought/sold this project where it <br />eventually ended up in the hands of EXXON Mobile. In 1982, EXXON terminated the <br />project due to low oil prices and increased expenses. <br /> <br />Since 1982 EXXON has developed multiple different reclamation plans and <br />implemented some tactics with some success. In 2021, Caerus Operating, LLC <br />acquired the Colony Mine through a buy-out and has since began creating a new <br />reclamation plan aimed at reclaiming with more specific guidelines given the existing <br />conditions that have been created over the past 42 years. Some areas within the project <br />have self-reclaimed and others need attention. This reclamation plan addresses the <br />remaining concerns and are listed below. <br /> <br />Overview: <br /> <br />The overall reclamation goal is to return all disturbed land from previous mining <br />operations to a proposed use that will blend with surrounding landscape as well as <br />benefit the current owner. The proposed use throughout the entirety of the area within <br />the existing Colony Mine permit will vary in uses ranging from returning to native, <br />agriculture activities, rangeland/wildlife establishment, and industrial operations. All <br />lands within the permit area are zoned as Resource Lands per Article 3 of the Garfield <br />County Land Use Development Code. Further, all lands within a 12 -mile radius of the <br />permit area either zoned as Resource Lands or a Public Lands per the code. Resource <br />Lands per the code allow for most types of agriculture, forestry, and oil and gas <br />extraction as a “right of use”. <br /> <br />Currently, there have been measures of reclamation completed with some success and <br />challenges, this report will outline areas that have already undergone this work. Many of <br />the areas within the permit boundary have not experienced any activity regarding <br />mining, oil/gas, or construction which has resulted in areas naturally re-vegetating and <br />naturally blending into the surrounding landscape. Water storage ponds with secure <br />water rights for agricultural and wildlife uses are in many of these areas. <br /> <br />For ease of understanding location, given the large site, Exhibit F represents an overall <br />map delineating each area in specific within the original boundary. Each area is then <br />separated into individual sheets to clearly show what reclamation activities will occur, <br />and where within the area boundary. There are several existing monitoring wells that <br />are located within the mine boundary; these wells are listed in the Colony Water Well <br />List. This list shows the future use whether that is to re-permit to a new use, keep using <br />as-is, or plug and abandon. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />