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Somerset Mining Company transferred the permit and completed the permit <br />renewal for another 5 year permit term. The present permit period runs from <br />October 11, 1988 and expires on October 11, 1993. Upon finalization of the <br />purchase of the mine and transfer and renewal of the permit, Somerset Mining <br />Company proposed opening a new set of mine portals to access the B and C coal <br />seams. This proposal was presented in the form of Permit Revision Number One <br />(PR-O11 and is the subject of this updated Findings Document. <br />Permit Revision Number One was submitted to the Division on June 4, 1990. The <br />application was deemed incomplete on June 14, 1990. With the submittal of <br />additional information on June 18, 1990, the application was deemed complete <br />on June 19, 1990. Somerset Mining Company began publishing public notice of <br />the revision application in the Delta County Independent on July 18, 1990. <br />The proposed permit area is located within 100 feet of the outside right of <br />way of State Highway 133. Therefore, in accordance with Rule <br />2.07.6(21(dl(ivl, a public hearing was advertised on March 6, 1991 and held by <br />the Division on March 21, 1991 in the town of Somerset's Community Hall. See <br />Section A. 5. of this Findings Document for details. Members of the public <br />were informed at this meeting that old State Highway 133 from one mile east of <br />Somerset up to the next entrance to the old highway (approximately 3/4 milel <br />had been abandoned as a right of way by decision of the State Department of <br />Highways. Furthermore, the Gunnison County Comonissioners declined to add this <br />portion of the old state highway to the county road system. Therefore, this <br />section reverted to private control and ownership, Somerset Mining Company <br />owns the surface and mineral rights. <br />During the review process, only one letter was received. This letter was from <br />the Colorado Historical Society and outlined concerns about possible <br />historical sites in the vicinity of the mine. In response to this concern, <br />the operator conducted a survey of the proposed permit area addition. The <br />survey report concluded that there were no sites on the permit area addition <br />that were of significant enough historic value to include in the National <br />Register of Historic Places. The Colorado Historical Society reviewed the <br />report and agreed with the conclusions. Therefore, the Division believes the <br />concern of the Colorado Historical Society has been adequately addressed. <br />Several other adequacy concerns with the permit revision submittal were <br />identified in Division letters to the operator of November 29, 1990 and <br />February 28, 1991. The operator responded to these concerns on October 22, <br />1990, December 17, 1990, January 22, 1991, February 11, 1991, March 1, 1991, <br />March 4, 1991, March 5, 1991, March 13, 1991, March 21, 1991 and March 25, <br />1991. The response letters received from Somerset Mining Company have <br />adequately addressed the Division's concerns. <br />Description of the Environment <br />The present Somerset Mine consists of 57 acres of surface disturbed land and <br />2,775 acres of land which has been or will be undermined and may potentially <br />be affected by mining in the North Fork of the Gunnison River (North Forkl <br />drainage basin (See MaD ES-3306-Sheets 1 & 2 for the location of the present <br />mine). The Sanborn Creek addition consists of 4 acres of surface disturbance <br />and 962 acres of land which will be undermined and potentially affected by <br />mining (see Map 5-007 for location of the proposed Sanborn Creek additionl, <br />-3- <br />