2003-08-26_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981041

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grading and drainage reconstruction plans for certain azeas, and documentation of reclamation soil quality. The Division's reclamation cost estimate projected a total reclamation cost of $3,319,133.00, which exceeded the current bond amount by $54,984.00. The Division requested in the letter, that SCC submit responses in the form of a technical revision application. November 5, 2002-SCC submitted a letter to the Division waiving their right to the 120 and 180 day decision time frames of Rule 2.07.4(2)(b). December 18, 2002-The Division received Technical Revision Application No. 42 (TR-42), responses to the renewal adequacy review letter. TR-42 was deemed complete December 27, 2002. Completeness notices were sent to BLM and OSM on December 30, 2002, and public notice ofthe application was published in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on January 10, 2003. On February 7, 2003, the Division's preliminary adequacy review letter for TR-42 was sent to the operator and forwarded to BLM and the law firm of Dufford, Waldeck, Milburn & Krohn. The operator's initial responses to [he adequacy letter were received on April 18, 2003, and the review proceeded through a series of several additional DMG review letters and SCC response submittals. The Division issued a proposed decision to approve TR~2 on June 16, 2003.One item ofnote regazding the TR-42 decision is that it did not specify the bond liability increase that had been calculated in association with RN-04. This is because the operator had conducted a substantial amount of reclamation work during 2002 that cleazly offset the relatively small liability increase associated with the technical revision modifications. An updated reclamation cost performed by the Division in association with bond release application SL-02, on August 11, 2003, indicated that total reclamation liability following phase 1 bond release would be $1,797,639.00. The Division issued a proposed decision to approve SCC's application for partial phase 1 bond release (SL-02) on August 14, 2003. Description of the Environment Geographic Setting The Roadside North and South Portals Mine complex lies in the alluvial valley of the Colorado River along Interstate 70 (I-70) just east of the town of Palisade. The river and interstate trend northeast to southwest through the mine azea, with the North Portal facilities and mine workings located to the west and north, and the South Portal facilities and mine workings to the east and south. Located 12 miles from Grand Junction, the mines are situated in DeBeque Canyon in the Bookcliffs, a ridge comprised of vari-colored shales and sandstones trending northwest-southeast. The Bookcliffs border the Grand Valley to the east where the Colorado River exits the highlands of the cliffs and enters the valley. Mount Garfield, a prominent peak in the Bookcliffs, lies southwest of the mine site and serves as the southwestern corner of the Piceance basin to the north. The mines can be located on the USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle maps labeled "Cameo" and "Palisade." The Bookcliffs coal field is characterized by a monoclinal structure with the strata dipping gently to the northeast. Exhibits 13 and 14 of the permit application illustrate the surface geology and geologic structure of the permit area. The mine ocated on and adjacent to the alluvial valley floor of the Colorado River. The river alluvium ranges from a clayey [o silty sand and contains scattered gravel and cobble-sized fragments. The depth of the alluvium ranges from nine to sixty feet beneath the surface disturbed azeas. 10