|
ermit Revision No. 4 was submitted September 5, 2000, and called complete September 15,
<br />2000. The initial adequacy comments were provided to Oxbow Mining on November 9, 2000.
<br />Oxbow Mining responded to first adequacy comments June 25, 2001. Some additional
<br />comments were sent from the Division on July 11, 2001, and the Division answered the first
<br />series of adequacy responses on September 11, 2001.
<br />The Division provided additional questions Oct 29, 2001, concerning electronic submittal of
<br />maps in CARD format.
<br />Oxbow responded Nov. 7, 2001, to the questions and the Division replied on November 16,
<br />2001. These questions were answered by Oxbow on Dec. 15, 2001. With unresolved issues
<br />down to just three, the Division responded Jan. 2, 2002. Oxbow submitted their final responses
<br />on January 7, 2002. DMG found everything in order and wa_s ready to issue the decision on
<br />January 9, 2002. Because of computer problems with the Department of the Interior, the final
<br />AVS check was accomplished on January 16, 2002.
<br />The main issues with the initial submittal to the Division involved numerous mechanical issues,
<br />such as page numbering, labels, and other small editorial comments, the Division's desire to see
<br />information on degassification boreholes consolidated into a single location and format, presence
<br />of as-built certifications for ponds, topsoil balance estimates for the Elk Creek facilities area,
<br />clarification and delineation of roads and facilities in place prior to 1976, and several issues
<br />regarding hydrologic monitoring.
<br />During the review of PR-04, the Division recalculated [he reclamation bond liability estimate to
<br />incorporate updated data, The bond was calculated at $3, 356, 540.00. Bond number 10-43-34
<br />was received by the Division for that amount as of November 1, 2001. This bond estimate
<br />includes no mining in the Elk Creek lease tract, which has not yet been approved.
<br />On September 19, 2001, Oxbow Mining, Inc., initiated the process of transferring the coal permit
<br />from that entity to Oxbow Elk Creek, LLC, and then to Oxbow Mining, LLC. This transfer of
<br />permit (SO-OS) received approval on October 22, 2001 and no comments were received, so the
<br />transfer became effective November 20, 2001.
<br />Description of the Environment
<br />Prior to this revision, Sanborn Creek Mine consisted of 92.3 acres of surface disturbed land and
<br />5,693 acres of land which has been or will be undermined and may potentially he affected by
<br />mining in the North Fork of the Gunnison River (North Fork) drainage basin. (See Map 2.05-M1
<br />for locations of Sa~tbom Creek and Elk Creek mines.) Permit revision No. 4 adds 3965 acres to
<br />the permit, bringing the total permitted area to 12,194 acres.
<br />The surface lands within the permit azea include S,SS2 acres of privately-owned land and 7,629
<br />acres of federally owned lands (USFS and BLM). The coal reserve owners include Oxbow
<br />7
<br />
|