2003-12-22_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1982057

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SECTION 1-MINE STATUS AND HISTORY The Seneca II-W Mine is located approximately 7 miles south of Hayden, Colorado in Routt County. The initial mining and reclamation permit for the mine was issued December 31, 1985, fora 5 yeaz permit term. The permit has been renewed for additional 5 year permit terms three times. The most recent permit renewal proposed decision was issued June 19, 2001, and the Division's basis for the renewal approval is set forth in the Permit Renewal No. 3 (RN-3) Findings of Compliance document, dated June 15, 2001. The RN-3 Findings of Compliance document was updated in association with the recent approval of Permit Revision No. 3 (PR-3). The PR-3 updated Findings of Compliance is dated May 2, 2003. The current permit term expires December 31, 2005. The Seneca [I-W Mine is a surface coal operation, more specifically adip-slope, area strip mine utilizing dragline mining methods. The total permitted area, including the tie-across haul road that connects Routt County Road 53 with the Hayden Power Plant, is approximately 4,093 acres. The maximum proposed disturbed area is 1,798 acres, including mine pit areas, surface support facilities, haul roads and drainage control facilities. Surface ownership is predominantly private, with right of entry based on a variety of private leases, subleases and easements. The permit area also includes limited areas of federal surface managed by BLM, and the Slate of Colorado. Coal mined at Seneca II-W is owned by private interest, the State of Colomdo, and the Federal government, and is under lease to Seneca Coal Company. The current life of mine projection anticipates completion of mining in 2011. Over the life of the mine, total production of over l6 million tons of coal is projected. Annual production has ranged from a low of 376,700 tons to a maximum of 990,300 tons, with a projected maximum annual production tevei of 874,700 tons during the remainder of the mine life.