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Gunnison River (North Fork). The Bear Mine has been in continuous operation since 1934. <br />Annual average production ranges from 250,000 to 500,000 tons of coal were extracted from the <br />B and C Seams within Federal Coal Leases D-052502 and C-0117192, at the Bear No. 3 Mine. <br />Approximately 19 acres were disturbed at the Bear No. I and 2 Mines, and eight acres were <br />disturbed at the Bear No. 3 Mine. <br />The original permit C-81-033 was issued on July 19, 1982. On July 3, 1985, Bear Coal Company <br />submitted a permit revision which proposed the addition of Federal Coal Lease No. C-0117192 <br />to the mine plan. This addition involved portions of the C-Seam immediately adjacent to the <br />previously approved permit boundary. The permit revision was deemed complete on July 12, <br />1985. Adequacy concerns were resolved in September 1985, and an approval decision was issued <br />September 18, 1985. The decision document of September 18, 1985 contains specific details <br />regarding the permit revision process. <br />The first renewal application was received on November 6, 1986. Following the review process, <br />a proposed decision was published on June 25, 1987. Details regarding the renewal finding can <br />be reviewed within the June 18, 1987 decision document. <br />The second renewal application was received on January 16, 1992. The application was complete, <br />as submitted. Renewal adequacy responses were submitted to the Division on August 31, 1992 <br />in the form of a technical revision and were subsequently found to be adequate. The Division's <br />findings of compliance were updated in July 1992. <br />On December 1, 1993, Beaz Coal Company submitted Permit Revision No. 1, which proposed the <br />addition of 205 acres to the permit area. The revision originally proposed 11 new panels west of <br />and adjacent to then current B-seam workings. The expansion area was located in Coal Lease C- <br />0117192 and a small section of A[lan[ic Richfield Company fee coal. The permit revision was <br />deemed complete on December 3, 1993. The Division's preliminary adequacy comments of <br />February 1, 1994 were addressed by Bear Coal in their March 4, 1994 submittal. Secondary <br />adequacy comments were sent to Bear Coal on March 28, 1994. Bear Coal submitted its <br />responses on April 22, 1994. The submittal adequately addressed all remaining adequacy <br />concerns. Poor mining conditions were encountered during the permit revision review process, <br />on the north end adjacent to the proposed mine workings. These conditions forced the proposed <br />mine plan to be revised to include only seven new panels, which would extend the Bear Mine No. <br />3 life of mine by 14 months. The proposed permit area boundary did not change. <br />Permit Revision No. 2 was submitted on September 29, 1994 and proposed expanding the mine <br />plan to include additional B-Seam coal reserves in Sections 16 and 20. The application was <br />deemed complete on October 11, 1994 and initial adequacy cotrunents were sent on December 9, <br />1994. The operator provided adequate responses to these initial comments on January 3, 1995. <br />The revision, with two stipulations, was approved on February 8, 1995. <br />Bear Coal Company applied for renewal of their valid, existing permit on January 12, 1997. The <br />application was deemed complete on January 21, 1997. The Division transmitted adequacy <br />concerns to Bear Coal Company on June 9, 1997. A response was received on September 22, <br />3 <br />