Laserfiche WebLink
r <br />Summar,,~ <br />The Review Process <br /> <br />The Somerset Mine and Sanborn Creek Mine, operated by Somerset Mining Company, <br />are located in Delta and Gunnison Counties, and are adjacent to the town of <br />Somerset on State High~.vay 133. The Sanborn Creek East Tract addition to the <br />mine is the subject of this permit revision. The permit revision will add <br />approximately 1,792 acres to the permit area and will not increase the <br />allowable surface disturbance. <br />The original permit under the Colorado Permanent Regulatory Program was issued <br />to U.S. Steel Mining Company, Inc. on October 11, 1983. Kaiser Coal <br />C•~~poration acted as operator on the property from 1986 to 1990. In 1990, <br />Somerset Mining Company transferred the permit and completed the permit <br />renewal for another five-year permit term. The present permit period runs <br />from October 11, 1988 and expires on October 11, 1993. Upon finalization of <br />the purchase cf the mine and transfer and renewal of the permit, Somerset <br />Mining Company proposed opening a new set of mine portals to access the B and <br />C coal seams. This proposal was presented in the form of Permit Revision <br />No. One (PR-Ol) submitted to the Divison on June 4, 1990 and approved on <br />March 27, 1991. <br />Permit Revision No. Two (PR-02), the subject of this Findings Document, was <br />submitted to the Division on April 13, 1992. The application was deemed <br />complete on April 23, 1992. Somerset Mining Company published its notice of <br />the revision application in the Delta County Independent on May 13, 20 and 27, <br />and on June 3. 1992. <br />the proposed permit area is located within 100 feet of the outside right of <br />way of State Highway 133. Therefore, in accordance 'aith Rule 2.07.6(2>(d)(iv>, <br />a public nearing was advertised on June 24, 1992 in the Delta County <br />Independent. No comments or r2 quests for a public hearing were received; <br />therefore, a hearing .vas not held. <br />Preliminary permit revision application adequacy review comments were mailed <br />to the operator cn June 22 and July 6, 1992. Somerset Mining Company <br />responded to these concerns en July 24, 1992. 4 sec:.~d adequacy review letter <br />was mailed to the operator on august 25, 1992, and responses were received on <br />August 27 and September 17, 1992. A third and final adequacy revie~.v letter <br />.gas sent to the operator on September 21, 1992. Final responses were received <br />on September 2a, 1992. The response letters received from Somerset Mining <br />Company have adequately addressed the Divisions 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 Fork) <br />drainage basin. (See hlap E3-3306, Sheets 1 and 2 for the location of the <br />present mine.) The Sanborn Creek (PR-Ol? addition consists rf four acres of <br />surface disturbance and 962 acres cf land whic` will be undermined and <br />potentially affected by mining. (Sze .Map 5-007 for the location of the <br />Sanborn Creek addition.i The Sanborn Creek East Tract CPR-02) will not <br />-3- <br />