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Summary The Review Process The Carbon Junction Mine was previously operated by Pueblo Coal, Incorporated, from its original permitting date of October 25, 1983 until the company became insolvent and the permit was revoked and bond forfeited on July 25, 1990. Due to the failure and closing of the Texas American Bank/Fort Worth, Texas, the Division was unable to collect the monies required for the reclamation of the site. During the legal process to obtain the reclamation bond of $931,150.00, the parent corporation of Pueblo Coal, Oakridge Energy, Inc., entered into an arrangement with the State of Colorado to replace the bond, and re-permit the Carbon Junction Mine under an entirely new permit. With a new bond fully in place, Oakridge Energy Inc. submitted an application to mine coal on July 30, 1992. The application was assigned Number C-92-080 by the Division for the new Carbon Junction Mine, and the permit was finally approved on June 25, 1993. On Janurary 28, 1998, the Division received an application to renew a valid existing permit to conduct coal mining in Colorado. The Division found the application complete on February 9, 1998. The operator published the renewal request in The Durango Herald for four consecutive weeks commencing on February 15, 1998 and ending on March 8, 1998. No.comments from the public or private sectors were received concerning the permit renewal. A preliminary adequacy review of the permit was conducted at the Division office with the mine representative and numerous concerns with the permit on Janurary 6, 1998, prior to the official application being received. Additional adequacy issues were sent out on March 30 and May 6, 1998. Comments regazding the proposed issues were received by the Division and all permitting issues were resolved with the exception of bond release issues regarding vegetation sampling brought about by the land use change to industrial, commercial, and residential. Applicant Violator System (AVS) checks have a recommendation of issue. Description of the Environment The Carbon Junction Mine is located in southwestern Colorado, approximately 2 1/2 miles southeast of the town of Durango. Elevation of the area ranges from approximately 6800 feet to 7400 feet. The mine is located in the upper drainage basin of Carbon Junction Canyon. This is an intermittent tributary to the Animas River. The total drainage basin of Carbon Junction Canyon is 0.8 square miles. This drainage has a steep gradient and, through much of its reach, is contained within steep valley walls. The rock units exposed in the permit and adjacent azeas are all Cretaceous in age. These units include the Lewis Shale, the Pictured Cliffs Sandstone, the Fruitland Formation and the Kirtland Shale. The Carbon Junction Mine will extract coal from the Lewis coal seam ("C" seam), Cazbonero seam ("B" seam) and the Shamrock seam ("A" seam) within the Fruitland Formation.