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Division received notification of the permanent cessation of mining. Following
<br />sealing of the portals, reclamation activities were initiated and entailed facility
<br />demolition, backfilling and grading, drainage re-establishment, and revegetation.
<br />Final seeding was completed in November 1995.
<br />The Division has processed and approved four bond release applications prior to
<br />this final bond release application (SL-05). Surety Release No. 1 (SL-01) was a
<br />bond release request for the Burlington Northern Loadout, athree-acre tract of
<br />land located within the city limits of Trinidad, Colorado, north of Goddard Avenue
<br />and .25 miles east of I-25 in the NW1/4 SE1/4, Section 7, T33S R63W, of the 6m
<br />P.M. in Las Animas County. The loadout was successfully reclaimed to a post-
<br />mining land use of Industrial and full bond release (Phase I/II/III) was approved
<br />effective April 22, 1994. The dollar amount of bond released was $7,807.00.
<br />(ref. Proposed Decision Phase 1, ll, and 111 Bond Release for the Burlingtion
<br />Northern Rail Loadout, Raton Creek Mine, #C-820055, February 28, 1994)
<br />Surety Release No. 2 (SL-02) requested a Phase I bond release at the main
<br />mine site. The area to be considered for the Phase I release was 25.3 acres
<br />located in SW1/4, Section 36, T33S, R63W of the 6~n P.M. Specifically excluded
<br />by request of the applicant from this bond release request was the water tank,
<br />two concrete pads and remains of the prep plant, and the former mine
<br />office/parking area. These areas occupy about 2.5 acres. Phase I bond release
<br />was approved, effective May 27, 1995 for 24.3 acres. Approximately one acre of
<br />disturbance was not granted Phase I bond release as requested. Three areas,
<br />generally described as; the north facing slope at the parking area, the slope
<br />adjacent to the lower catchment/check dam, and a section of 2:1 slope at the
<br />substation, were not granted Phase I bond release. Due to a deficiency in the
<br />bond amount held by the Division, no monetary release occurred as a result of
<br />SL-02. The bond deficiency was addressed separately as a result of the mid-
<br />term review that was under concurrent review with SL-02. (ref. Proposed
<br />Decision, Phase I Bond Release, Raton Creek Mine, #C-82-055, April 7, 1995)
<br />Surety Release No. 3 (SL-03) was a Phase I bond release application for the
<br />three areas found to be not satisfactory for Phase I bond release under SL-02.
<br />SL-03 was found complete on December 5, 1995. A subsequent field inspection
<br />determined that, as a result of additional work completed, the three areas,
<br />totaling about one acre that were previously identified and excluded in SL-02,
<br />had been reclaimed to the criteria required for a Phase I bond release. The
<br />bond release became final effective about March 30, 1996. The amount of bond
<br />released was $962.00. (ref. Proposed Decision, Partial Phase 1 Bond Release,
<br />Raton Creek Mine, #C-82-055, February 20, 1996)
<br />Surety Release No. 4 (SL-04) requested a full bond release (Phase I/II/III) for the
<br />two Santa Fe rail loadouts located within the Trinidad city limits. The two
<br />loadouts occupy 3.32 acres between N. Linden Ave and Commercial Street,
<br />southeast of I-25 in Trinidad. The one loadout is specifically located in the E1/2
<br />NE1/4 NE1/4, Section 13, T32S, R64W and the other loadout is located in the
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