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Sutttmar~of the Review Process <br />The Division sent out a notice of expiration of the Hamilton Mine pemtit on May 16, 2006 to <br />Honeywood Coal Company (mine operator) and J, E. Stover and Associates (consultant to the <br />operator), 270 days prior to the permit expiration. The Division received a complete application for <br />RN-03 on July 3, 2006. Acknowledgement of the complete application was sent to the operator <br />and consultant on July 6, 2006. Publication of the proposed permit renewal was made July 20, 27, <br />and August 3, and 10, 2006 in the San Miguel Basin Forum. Staff comments generated in regazd to <br />adequacy issues identified during the review of the proposed revision (ownership and control <br />information) and a revised reclamation cost estimate were conveyed to J.E. Stover and Associates <br />in a letter dated August 31, 2006. Revised ownership and control information for the permit <br />application package was received by the Division on September 18, 2006. AVS checks were <br />conducted on August 22"d, 2006 (issue recommendation) and March 8, 2007 (also issue <br />recommendation). No public comments concerning the permit renewal were received. The <br />Division is proposing to approve the application for RN-03. <br />Description of the Environment <br />Introduction <br />The Hamilton Mine permit area now encompasses 757 acres. The area is situated atop a gently <br />north-sloping mesa overlooking Naturita Creek and the San Miguel River. The mesa is part of an <br />extensive flat-land area which extends southeast to the San Juan Mountains. The azea was formed <br />from the resistant, Cretaceous-age Dakota Sandstone and Burro Canyon Formation. The Dakota <br />Sandstone is the bedrock of the mine area and contains the coal that was mined. The mesa mined is <br />bounded on the west by Bramiers Draw and on the east by Long Draw. The northernmost permit <br />boundary is approximately one mile south of Naturita Canyon. The southern pemut azea boundary <br />is 1.5 miles south of and parallel to the northern permit azea boundary. <br />The mine is located within the southeast portion of the Colorado Plateau. The region is <br />characterized by broad, fairly smooth surfaced plateaus and mesas with gently dipping slopes <br />dissected by steep canyons. Surface elevations at the Hamilton Mine range from a high of 6,050 <br />feet (MSL) in the southern part of the permit azea to a low of 5,800 feet in the northern parts of the <br />permit azea. Total topographic relief is thus about 250 feet. <br />Climate <br />The regional climate of the Hamilton Mine azea is typical of intermountain regions. It is <br />characterized by cold winters, hot summers, low rainfall, and short growing seasons. The Hamilton <br />Mine receives approximately twelve inches of precipitation in an average yeaz. The majority of the <br />precipitation falls between October and May. <br />Regional Geology <br />The Hamilton Mine is located neaz the axis of the Nucla Syncline (San Miguel Syncline) in a <br />shallow, broad synclinal fold running northwester]y for 65 miles. No evidence of faults has been <br />2 <br />