GENERAL32961

• Permit No: M1999002
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 8/18/1998
• Doc Name: COMMERCIAL MINE PLAN SUBMITTED TO BLM SECTION 7
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Currently, the total sales tax rate in Rio Blanco County, including the cities of
Meeker and Rangely, is 5 percent (3 percent state, 2 percent county). In 1997, total
sales taxes collected in Rio Blanco County amounted to approximately $945,000 for
the State of Colorado and $648,000 for the county (Colorado Department of Revenue
1997).
The sales tax rate in unincorporated Garfield County is 4 percent (3 percent state, 1
percent county), with rates higher in various incorporated cities in the county. For
unincorporated portions of Garfield County, sales taxes collected in 1997 amounted
to about $2.2 million for the county specifically (Colorado Department of Revenue
1997). In the City of Rifle, the local sales tax rate is 2.5 percent, bringing the total
sales tax rate to 6.5 percent for purchases made within the city. In 1997, the City of
Rifle collected $1,450,491 in sales tax revenue for the city and about $580,000 in
revenue for Garfield County. Overall, taxable sales in all of Garfield County
produced $13.9 million in sales tax revenue for the State of Colorado in 1997
(Colorado Department of Revenue 1997).
Use tax is collected by Rio Blanco County on materials purchased outside of the
county (e.g., materials delivered by vendors from outside the county to mine sites in
Rio Blanco County). Rio Blanco County charges a 2 percent use tax on these
materials. In 1997, Rio Blanco County collected approximately $343,000 in use tax
revenue (Rio Blanco County Tax Examiner 1998). The use tax rate within the City of
• Rifle is 2.5 percent. The City of Rifle collected $175,923 in use tax revenue in 1997.
There is no use tax levied in unincorporated Garfield County.
Like property tax revenue, sales and use tax revenues are used by local cities and
counties to fund a wide variety of important local services and community facilities.
7.14.4.4 Severance Tax
The State of Colorado levies a severance tax against the proceeds of the sale of
various minerals produced in the state. In 1997, total severance taxes paid to the
State of Colorado for production of oil and gas, coal, and other minerals amounted
to approximately $30.3 million. The severance tax rate applied to "metallic
minerals," which include sodium minerals such as nahcolite, is 2.25 percent of gross
income in excess of $11 million. For all metallic minerals, severance taxes collected
by the State in 1997 amounted to about $740,000 (Colorado Department of Revenue
1997).
7.15 LAND USE AND AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN
7.15.1 Land Use
The Piceance Site is located within U.S. Sodium Lease Nos. C-0118328 and C-0118329,
• which are controlled by American Soda. Surface and subsurface estates at the
Piceance Site are completely administered by the BLM. The Piceance Site occupies at
American Snda, L.L.P. 7-58
Commercial Mine Plan
Augus[ 1N, 1998