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.* <br />Technical Analysis <br />Minor tl odif is at ion-Coal Mining and Reclamation Plan <br />Somerset Mine, United States Steel Corporation <br />(Sunflower Energy Corporation-Operator) <br />Federal Cna1 Lease C-033301 (E-Seam) <br />Incrod~ction/BackEround <br />On July 28, 197h, United Stales Steel Corporation (USSC) and Sunflower Energy <br />Corporation (SEC) made and entered into a sublease agreement which granted, <br />conveyed, and subleased to SEC from l1SSC's Federal Coal Lease C-033301 all of <br />the E-Seam contained in the easternmost 184 fee[ of Lot 19 and all of Lo[s 20 <br />and 21, Section 35, T. 12 S., R. 91 47., 6 PPf. (approximately 85 acres). USSC <br />has an approved mining and reclamation plan for the Somerset Mine which is <br />presently operating in the B-Seam (cahich underlies the E-Seam) of Federal Coal <br />L.aase C-033301. (USSC is presently mining this lease in accordance with its <br />approved mining and reclamation plan.) The land surface overlying, this lease <br />in Section 35 is Federal land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. <br />SP:C is presently mining coal in the E-Seam on adjacent fee coal land and has <br />an approved permit from the State of C,'olorado. This operation is called the <br />R1ue Ribbon Aline. Tha mine has its portal facilities on non-Federal (fee) <br />land adjacent to Huhb and Creek, approximately 2.5 miles north of Howie, <br />Colorado. The Blue Ribhon Mine presently includes 125.2 acres of fee land. <br />SEC originally submitted a mining and r.eclam ation plan to Che U.S. Geological <br />Survey (USGS) for the pederal suhlease nn Decemher l9, 1977. The plan was <br />ruvi roved by USGS, but final action was never [when by IfSCS on this plan. An <br />updated plan was submitted by SEC on Che sublease araa to Che Office of <br />Surface Mining (0514) on May 21, 1979. A completeness review was performed by <br />OS'•1 and forwarded to the State (for transmittal to SEC). However, o~ July 12, <br />1979, SEC requested that all references [o Federal lands be deleted from the <br />plan. Thus, no action ~.aas required nn OSM's par[ at that time. <br />On October 27, 1980, SEC submitted a revised mining, and reclamation plan to <br />OShI. This plan included mining of the Federal coal included in Tease C-033301 <br />(F.-Seam). The Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board approved SEC's plan on <br />November 20, L980, subject [o Che approval of the OSM. OSM performed an <br />apparent completeness review of the newly submitted plan and pertinent <br />comments to SEC open December 5, 1980. Comments from USGS and the Bureau of. <br />land, Management CALM) were subsequently forwarded to SEC on Decemher 12 and <br />24, 1980, respectively. On December 17, 1980, SF,C submitted responses [n the <br />plan [o answer a portion of the concerns included in OSM's review and all of <br />the USGS comments. On 1y a portion of the comments were deemed relevant at <br />~~l <br />