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I. PROCEDURES AND SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW PROCESS
<br />Trapper Mining, Ina (TMI) applied for partial Phase II bond release under the Colorado Surface Coal
<br />Mining Reclamation Act following reclamation of a portion of the Trapper Mine. The mine is located
<br />in Moffat County, approximately 6.5 miles south of Craig, Colorado. The mine area is located in
<br />portions of Section 5 and 6 of TSN, R90W, portions of Sections 1, 4 and 5 and all of Sections 2 and 3 of
<br />TSN, R91 W, portions of Sections 30 and 32 and all of Section 31 of T6N, R90W. Included in the mine
<br />area aze portions of Sections 21, 25, 26, 27, 29, and 32 and all of Sections 33, 34, 35 and 36 of T6N,
<br />R91 W.
<br />The Division approved reclamation liability release for the Craig Generation Plant Loadout in December
<br />1985. That approval was for release of reclamation liability only. No money was rehuned.
<br />Bond release application SL-Ol was submitted September 9, 1996, and requested partial Phase I bond
<br />release on 2511.7 acres, and partial Phase II bond release on 1570.5 acres. The Division approved the
<br />partial Phase I on February 12, 1998 for backfill and grading of 2511.7 acres of the bond release parcel.
<br />The partial Phase II portion of the bond release application was reviewed sepazately from the Phase I
<br />request. The Division approved the Phase II bond release on 1570.5 acres, on December 21, 1999. The
<br />two approvals released reclamation liability only. No money was returned to the operator.
<br />Bond release application SL-02 was submitted October 6, 1999. Bond release SL-02 requested partial
<br />Phase II bond release on 319.5 acres of rangeland seeded in 1984, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996 in the
<br />Ashmore, Derringer and Hawken pits. SL-02 was approved December 23, 1999. The approval released
<br />reclamation liability only. No money was returned to the operator.
<br />TMI submitted an application for a partial Phase II bond release, SL-03, that was received by the
<br />Division on October 1, 2001. The application was deemed complete on October 9, 2001, after the
<br />Division received proof of publication of the applicant's public notice. TMI published notice of the
<br />bond release application in Craig Daily Press once weekly for four consecutive weeks, begiruring
<br />September 3, 2001. TMI notified landowners within and adjacent to the mine permit azea and other
<br />interested parties ofthe application for bond release, as required by Rule 3.03.2(1). This application
<br />requests Phase II reclamation liability release on 592.7 acres of reclaimed land in the Ashmore,
<br />Browning, and Colt pits. The approved post-mining land use is cropland.
<br />On November 24, 2001, the Division received written comments from neighboring landowners, Mr. and
<br />Mrs. Francis Lux, regazding the bond release application. The Lux's expressed concern that mining
<br />activities have resulted in dimunition of flow of a spring down slope from the bond release block. This
<br />spring is located in the Far East Buzzard drainage and is known as the Lippazd Spring No. 2. This
<br />spring lies approximately 2900 feet from the closest reclaimed pit, Browning pit, in the bond release
<br />azea. The Division met with the Mr. and Mrs. Lux on November 8, 2001 to discuss their concern and
<br />locate the spring on the ground. The Lux's did not request an informal conference. On November 30,
<br />2001 ,the Division asked TMI to demonstrate whether or not the diminution of the Lippard Spring No.
<br />Trapper Mine, SL-03, Findings 3 April 19, 2002
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