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Animas County Board of Commissioners requested that verification of the reclamation be made prior to bond release. The Division responded in a letter dated May 27, 2005 and explained the procedures for informal conferences and public hearings following a decision by the Division. The objection from the county was also forwarded to the applicant on May 27, 2005. A phase I inspection was scheduled for June 23, 2005. Picketwire and the Las Animas County planning office were notified. The Division conducted the Phase I bond release inspection as planned on June 23. In attendance was Ron Thompson representing Picketwire and Vince Vigil representing Las Animas County. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS The initial field inspection of June 23, 2005 identified several minor deficiencies that the operator requested additional time to investigate and repair. Follow-up field inspections conducted in June, October, and November 2005 confirmed completion of the work. An inspection conducted in January 2006 also documented additional items for possible inclusion into the bond release request. The bond inspection and follow-up inspections, as noted, are incorporated by reference in these written findings. Observations during the bond release inspections document that the all structures not approved as permanent have been removed on areas where backfilling and grading has been completed. Reclaimed areas included in the bond release request have been returned to approximate original contour and that backfilling, grading, and drainage control has been completed in accordance with the approved plan. A total of 35.14 acres have been successfully backfilled and graded; 19.08 acres at the East Portal area and 16.06 acres at the West Mine area. Modifications to the original bond release request The Division received a letter from Picketwire Processing, LLC (PPLLC) dated November 21, 2005 requesting that a number of items be removed from the original bond release request. One of these items was the Refuse Disposal Underground plan (TR-34). Removal of this approved revision (TR-34) from the bond release request (i.e. keep the revision in the approved plan) results in the list of items for which a bond reduction is warranted, as shown in Table A below. The initial application also included the four reclaimed outslopes of completed benches at the Refuse Disposal Area (RDA). However, by facsimile dated February 6, 2006, PPLLC requested that the four reclaimed outslopes at the RDA be removed from the bond release request. The Division, therefore, did not consider any areas at the RDA as part of this Phase I bond release request. By letter received by the Division on February 7, 2006 Picketwire formally requested that the West Mine warehouse demolition and backfilling and grading be included in SL- 02. The Pumphouse access road grading and five culverts were also included in the Phase I bond release request.