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<br />
<br />
<br />Proposed Decision
<br />The Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division is re-issuing the Phase II Bond
<br />Release Decision for the Canadian Strip Mine. Wyoming Fuel Company requested
<br />Phase II Bond Release March 1, 1990 in accordance with Rule 3.03 of the
<br />Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining and
<br />the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Act, C.R.S. 34-22-101 et seg., Section 125.
<br />The Division found the submittal complete May 3, 1990, and issued a proposed
<br />decision October 5, 1990. The Office of Surface Mining did not concur with
<br />the CMLRD decision on the Federal Mine and consequently the decision has been
<br />modified to accommodate their objections.
<br />The mine was reclaimed in four phases. The first three phases (I, II, and
<br />III) were reclaimed between 1979 and 1981 and with the associated permanent
<br />ponds cover 29.66 acres. This area is located in TBN, R78W in a portion of
<br />the N 1!2 SW 1/4 of Section 2, and are depicted on the submitted map entitled
<br />Figure 2A, "Final Mine Reclamation". The fourth phase reclaimed 55.13 acres.
<br />A temporary impoundment was reclaimed in 1991 which covered 2.06 acres. The
<br />Division proposes to grant Phase II Bond Release for successful reclamation in
<br />Areas I, II and III. Topsoil has been replaced according to the reclamation
<br />plan, and erosion is less than that which would have occurred at the site
<br />prior to mining. Vegetative cover success standards have been met. The
<br />proposed decision is based on a site inspection conducted September 5, 1990,
<br />review of monitoring and permit files, and information provided by Wyoming
<br />fuel in support of the Phase II Bond Release.
<br />Eighty-five percent of the original bond may be released during the Phase II
<br />process. The maximum disturbance which occurred at the site was associated
<br />with a $746,450 bond. Phase I Bond Release for 60X of the $746,450 was
<br />granted in December, 1988, leaving a bond of $298,580. The Division proposes
<br />to release 85X of the bond associated with Areas I, II, and III and the
<br />permanent ponds or $63,448 as full Phase II Bond Release on the 29.66 acres.
<br />This will leave a bond of $235,131.80
<br />The Canadian Strip mine is located 4.5 miles east of Walden, Colorado and can
<br />be found on the U.S.G.S. 7.5 minute quadrangle entitled Johnny Moore
<br />Mountain. The legal description follows:
<br />Township 8 North, Range 78 West, 6th P.M. Section 10: SE 1/4 NE 1/4 NE 1/4,
<br />contains 10 acres. Section 11: W 1/2 NW 1/4, contains 80 acres. Section 2:
<br />Beginning at the point 1225 feet N 89 degrees 47'21" E from the NW corner of
<br />the SW 1/4, Section 2, thence N 89 degrees 47'21" E 700 feet thence S
<br />OOdegrees 12'39" E, 1500 feet, thence Southwest to a point on the South
<br />section line which is 1530 feet S 89 degrees 38'00" E of the SW corner of the
<br />said SW 1/4, thence N 89 degrees 38'00" W, 1530 feet to the SW corner of said
<br />SW 1/4, thence N 00 degrees 01'03 W, 300 feet, thence N 40 degrees 44'00" E,
<br />1250 feet, thence NE to the point of beginning, contains 65 acres.
<br />A copy of the proposed decision on bond release is available for public
<br />inspection in the Jackson County Recorder's Office, 396 Lefever Street,
<br />Walden, CO, and at the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division offices at
<br />1313 Sherman, Room 215, Denver, CO 80203. Written comments, objections, or
<br />requests for informal conferences on the decision must be submitted to the
<br />Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division before September 8, 1991.
<br />CWB/yjb
<br />5964E
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