GENERAL37970

• Permit No: C1981047
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 12/9/1982
• Doc Name: PROPOSED DECISION AND FINDINGS OF COMPLIANCE
• Permit Index Doc Type: FINDINGS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

S U.' ; i:1 R i'
The Review Process, Desci~nti on of the Environment
and
Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan
The Review Process
Sunflower Energy Corporation (S.E.C.) submitted a permit application to comply
with the provisions of the Colorado Permanent Program requirements on February
17, 1981. This application was found to be complete on February 27, I981, and
the Division's Preliminary Adequacy Review comments were sent to the operator
on April 23, 1981 fora response. On May 20, 1981, the Blue Ribbon Coal Company
succeeded Sunflower Energy Corporation as operator of the Blue Ribbon Mine.
Blue Ribbon Coal Company submitted the Preliminary Adequacy Review response
on October 8, 1981. Additional review comments were forwarded from the Division
to the operator on November 30 and I~cember 4, 1981, and the Division received
responses from Blue Ribbon Coal Company on January 5, 1982, May I7, 1982 and
July 27, 1982. These responses satisfied issues raised during the review process.
The Division is, therefore, issuing a proposed decision to approve the application.
Notice of this proposed decision must be publi.-`'ed in a newspaper in the Location
of the mining operations. Any person ~aho may be adversely affected by this
decision is afforded the opportunity to request a formal hearing. If no requests
are received within thirty (30) days, the proposed decision becomes final.
Descri ntion of the Environment
The Blue Ribbon Mine permit area, located in the Hubbard Creek drainage, consists
of approximately 20 acres of surface disturbance and totals 340 acres of Land
which will be undermined and may be potentially affected by mining. (See General
Location Afan.) Nubbard Creek is a perennial tributary of the North Fork of the
Gunnison River and provides both domestic and agricultural supplies of water.
The mine ig located approximately 2 miles north and 500 feet above the confluence
of Nubbard Creek and the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The North Fork of
the Gunnison enters the main stem of the Gunnison River approximately 30 miles
southwest of the Blue Ribbon mine site.
The topography of the region is characterized by steep canyons cut by the North
Fork of the Gunnison River and its tributaries, with several remnant alluvial
terraces above the valley of the North Fork of the Gunnison River. As one pro-
ceeds downstream belocv Somerset, Colorado, the canyon widens. At Paonia,
Colorado, the canyon has given way to a broad alluvial plain with interspersed
remnant alluvial terraces.
the watershed of Nubbard Creek is mountainous, ranging in elevation from 11,327
feet atop Crater Peak to 5,900 feet at the confluence of Hubbard Creek with the
North Fork of the Gunnison River. Slopes at the mine vary from 0 to 60 percent
and elevation varies from 6,300 feet at the southern contact of the permit area
and Nubbard Creek to 7,300 feet at the northeast corner of the permit area. The
mine portals are at an elevation of 6,470 Feet.