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Summary
<br />The Review Process
<br />The Red Canyon Mine application was submitted by Grand Mesa Coal Company (GMCC)
<br />to the Division on February 17, 1981 and deemed complete on February 27, 1981.
<br />A joint preliminary adequacy letter conveying concerns identified by the Office
<br />of Surface Mining (OSM) and the Division was sent to GMCC on May 8, 1981.
<br />Resolution of the deficiencies noted during the review was required in order to
<br />make determinations of compliance. The preliminary adequacy comments were
<br />discussed and clarified at a meeting on June 10, 1981, between the Division and
<br />OSM staff members and GMCC representatives. Grand Mesa's responses to the
<br />preliminary adequacy letter were received on August 31, 1981.
<br />A number of significant hydrologic and alluvial valley floor (AVF) concerns were
<br />discussed by the Division in a review letter of January 13, 1982. In order to
<br />address the Division's concerns, GMCC implemented field investigations and
<br />analyses during the spring and summer of 1982. Determinations and conclusions
<br />of the hydrologic study, entitled "Hydrology and Alluvial Valley Floor Report,
<br />Red Canyon Mines," were submitted to the Division on September 9, 1982, as
<br />Volume 8 of the permit application.
<br />A draft findings document identifying remaining adequacy issues was prepared on
<br />March 14, 1983. A mining and reclamation permit was issued on July 13, 1983.
<br />The applicant's final responses were received by the Division from November 1983,
<br />through March 1984.
<br />Grand Mesa Coal Company, a Colorado General Partnership involving Tremont Coal
<br />Corporation, Eagle Mining Inc., and Pine Brook Mining Company, submitted a permit
<br />renewal application on January 13, 1988 for the Red Canyon No. 1 and Red Canyon
<br />No. 2 Mines. The managing agent for the partnership is Western Associated Energy
<br />Corporation.
<br />The Division sent out adequacy letters on February 18, 1988, March 23, 1988,
<br />June 10, 1988, and June 24, 1988. These letters requested clarification or
<br />additional information on matters related to the geochemistry of materials found
<br />on site, the post-mining topography and its associated drainage, the value of the
<br />bond, and consent documentation for undermining. These issues were resolved in
<br />correspondence received on February 29, 1988, May 13, 1988 and July 11, 1988, and
<br />contained in Technical Revisions 3 and 4.
<br />MINREC, Incorporated, succeeded GMCC as operator of the Red Canyon Mine on
<br />January 4, 1990. MINREC submitted a permit renewal application for a second
<br />five-year permit on January 29, 1993. The Division sent out adequacy letters on
<br />March 30, 1993 and June 2, 1993. These letters requested clarification on
<br />matters related to consent documentation for undermining, pond designs, culvert
<br />designs, diversion ditch on waste pile, legal and financial information, and
<br />hydrologic monitoring. MINREC's responses were received May 24 and June 8, 1993
<br />as Minor Revision No. 7. All concerns were resolved prior to the issuance of the
<br />RN-02 renewal permit, with the exception of issues contained in Stipulation No.
<br />11. Stipulation No. 11 was complied with March 24, 1994.
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