HYDRO29908

• Permit No: C1981022
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Date: 9/25/1992
• Doc Name: ROPOSED DECISION AND FINDINGS OF COMPLIANCE FOR PERMIT REVISION NO TWO SANBORN E TRACT ADDITION
• Permit Index Doc Type: OTHER GROUND WATER
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Summary
• The Review Process
The Somerset Mine and Sanborn Creek Mine, operated by Somerset Mining Company,
are located in Delta and Gunnison Counties, and are adjacent to the town of
Somerset on State Highway 133. The Sanborn Creek East Tract addition to the
mine is the subject of this permit revision. The permit revision will add
approximately 1,792 acres to the permit area and will not increase the
allowable surface disturbance.
The original permit under the Colorado Permanent Regulatory Program was issued
to U.S. Steel Mining Company, Inc. on October 11, 1983. Kaiser Coal
Corporation acted as operator on the property from 1986 to 1990. In 1990,
Somerset Mining Company transferred the permit and completed the permit
renewal for another five-year permit term. The present permit period runs
from October 11, 1988 and expires on October 11, 1993. Upon finalization of
the purchase of the mine and transfer and renewal of the permit, Somerset
Mining Company proposed opening a new set of mine portals to access the B and
C coal seams. This proposal was presented in the form of Permit Revision
No. One (PR-01) submitted to the Divison on June 4, 1990 and approved on
March 27, 1991.
Permit Revision No. Two (PR-02), the subject of this Findings Document, was
submitted to the Division on April 13, 1992. The application was deemed
complete on April 23, 1992. Somerset Mining Company published its notice of
the revision application in the Delta County Independent on May 13, 20 and 27,
and on June 3, 1992.
• The proposed permit area is located within 1 00 feet of the outside right of
way of State Highway 133. Therefore, in accordance with Rule 2.07.6(2)(d)(iv>,
a public hea ring was advertised on June 24, 1992 in the Delta County
Independent. No comments or requests for a public hearing were received;
therefore, a hearing was not held.
Preliminary permit revision application adequacy review comments were mailed
to the operator on June 22 and July 6, 1992. Somerset Mining Company
responded to these concerns on July 24, 1992. A seccnd adequacy review letter
was mailed to the operator on August 25, 1992, and responses were received on
August 27 and September 17, 1992. A third and final adequacy review letter
was sent to the operator on September 21, 1992. Final responses were received
on September 24, 1992. The response letters received from Somerset Mining
Company have adequately addressed the Divisions concerns.
Description of the Environment
The present Somerset Mine consists of 57 acres of surface disturbed land and
2,775 acres of land which has been or will be undermined and may potentially
be affected by mining in the North Fork of the Gunnison River (North Fork)
drainage basin. (See Map E8-3306, Sheets 1 and 2 for the location of the
present mine.) The Sanborn Creek (PR-O1) addition consists of four acres of
surface disturbance and 962 acres of land which will be undermined and
potentially affected by mining. (See Map 5-007 for the location of the
• Sanborn Creek addition.) The Sanborn Creek East Tract (PR-02) will not
-3-