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<br />~, <br />du~~ing this time. On 1.1ay 24, l;gG, the Division received notification of the <br />temporary cessation of operations due to economic factors. Shortly after this <br />notification, reclamation work began at the mine site and the Burlington <br />Northern loadout. In June 1991 the Animas portals were sealed. <br />In November i99i the DIV1$iUn rele lVed I~Vtif iCdtivri i1f the pc riTia ric rat CcSSdtiCn <br />of mining. <br />On November 18, 1991 the Division sent to the operator notification that the <br />permit renewal decision date was August 17, 1992 and that the permit renewal <br />application was due February 19, 1992. On February 19, 1992, the Division <br />received the minimum amount of information needed for the permit renewal <br />application so the application was called complete on that day. Additional <br />information for the permit application was received on March 13, 1992. On <br />March 20, and March 25, 1992, the applicant violator system recommended <br />issuing the permit renewal. <br />The first set of adequacy questions was sent on April 16, 1992 and the second <br />set was sent on May 22, 1992. On July 14, 1992, the Division sent the <br />operator a letter reminding them of the decision date. The Division received <br />the operator's responses to the adequacy questions on August 12, 18, 19, 1992. <br />The operator requested two extensions of the decision date, from August 17, 1992 <br />to September 30, 1992 and from September 30, 1992 to October 30, 1992. The <br />Division granted these requests. On October 13, 1992 the Division sent <br />responses to the operator's adequacy responses, plus additional adequacy <br />questions. Due to complexities in the highwall and coal refuse waste bank <br />issues, the operator requested, and the Division approved, a deadline <br />extension to February 12, 1993. On February 12, 1993, the Division approved <br />with conditions the permit renewal for the Raton Creek Mine. In May 1993, the <br />Division approved a revision which changed the name of the operation from the <br />Animas/Helen Mine to the Raton Creek Mine. In addition, the names of the <br />Animas Mine and the Helen Mine were changed to the Raton Creek Mine No. 1 and <br />the Raton Creek Mine No. 2. Because of a change in Stipulation No. 11, the <br />Division revised the permit renewal findings document in May 1993. On <br />May 14, 1993, the Division again approved with conditions the Raton Creek Mine <br />permit renewal. <br />Description of the Environment <br />The mine site is located three miles south of Trinidad, Colorado in an area <br />characterized by dissected plateaus. Elevation at the mine site ranges from <br />6400 feet to 6700 feet. Land use in the area is classified as highland <br />agriculture by local planning and land use officials. This use basically <br />comprises mountainous grazing and watershed protection. In the immediate area <br />of the site, mining has been a previous land use. Evidence of these past <br />mining activities can be found in most of the small canyons in the area. <br />Due to disturbances from past mining activities, use of the area for grazing, <br />and proximity to the town of Trinidad and a major highway (I-25>, the utility <br />of the area as wildlife habitat is very limited. Large, undisturbed areas lie <br />to the south of the mine that offer suitable habitat. Therefore, most wild- <br />life species that existed at the site have been displaced into adjacent areas. <br />-5- <br />