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Succession of Operators
<br /> SO-1 proposed approval was issued April 29, 1997, wherein Permit C-81-018 was transferred
<br /> from Western Fuels-Utah, Inc., to Blue Mountain Energy, Inc. Three pre-existing stipulations
<br /> (50, 51, and 52) were attached to the approval.
<br /> Permit Renewal No. 3 Review Process
<br /> Blue Mountain Energy, Inc. (BME) submitted an application for renewal of Permit C-81-018
<br /> (RN-03), on January 26, 1999. The submittal included a renewal application form, proposed
<br /> public notice, and numerous changes to permit text and maps to bring the permit up to date and
<br /> eliminate duplication. Substantive changes proposed in the initial submittal included an
<br /> updated listing of officers and directors, termination of monitoring of Alluvial Well Qal-5,
<br /> increase in raw coal production from 2.3 million tons/year to 2.6 million tons/year and clean
<br /> coal production from 1.8 million tons/year to 1.9 million tons per year. In addition, certain
<br /> changes to the revegetation plan were proposed, including revised seed mixes, revegetation
<br /> techniques, and determinations of revegetation success. No increase in proposed disturbed,
<br /> affected, or permitted area was proposed.
<br /> The application was deemed complete on February 5, 1999, and notices were provided to
<br /> various local, state, and federal agencies on that date. Public notice of the application was
<br /> published in the Rangely Times once a week for four consecutive weeks, beginning February
<br /> 18, 1999. Copies of the application were filed with the Town Clerk's Office at the Rangely
<br /> Town Hall, and at the Denver and Grand Junction offices of the Division. Written comments
<br /> were received during the review period from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
<br /> (USFWS), State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), and Colorado Natural Heritage
<br /> Program (CNHP). Neither SHPO nor CNHP identified any specific concerns with the
<br /> proposed renewal. USFWS identified a concern with regard to the need for an updated water
<br /> depletion estimate, to allow for the agency to render a biological opinion regarding the impact
<br /> of the operation on the threatened and endangered fishes of the Colorado River. USFWS
<br /> concerns were forwarded to the operator.
<br /> The Division's adequacy review was conducted with the following sequence of adequacy
<br /> review letters, agency correspondence, and response submittals from BME.
<br /> February 5, 1999—Notices of availability for review and request for comments were provided
<br /> to Rio Blanco County Commissioners, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Colorado
<br /> Division of Wildlife (CDOW), Colorado Historical Society State Historic Preservation Officer
<br /> (SHPO), Rio Blanco County Planning Department, Colorado Department of Health and
<br /> Environment—Air Pollution Control Division (CDOH-APCD), Natural Resource Conservation
<br /> Service, Colorado Geological Survey, National Park Service, State Board of Land
<br /> Commissioners, Rangely Town Manager, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado,
<br /> Yellow Jacket Water Conservancy District, Water Users Association No.1, Office of Surface
<br /> Mining, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Bureau of Land Management—White River
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