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On July 3, 1985, Bear Coal Company submitted a permit revision which proposed <br />the addition of Federal Coal Lease No. C-0117192 to the mine plan. This <br />addition involved portions of the "C" seam immediately adjacent to the <br />previously approved permit boundary. The permit revision was deemed complete <br />on July 12, 1985. Adequacy concerns were resolved in September 1985, and an <br />approval decision was issued September 18, 1985. The decision document of <br />September 18, 1985 contains specific details regarding the permit revision <br />process. <br />The first renewal application was received November on 6, 1986. Following the <br />review process, a proposed decision was published on June 25, 1987. Details <br />regarding the renewal finding can be reviewed within the June 18, 1987 <br />decision document. <br />The second renewal application was received on January 16, 1992. The <br />application was complete, as submitted. Renewal adequacy responses were <br />submitted to the Division on August 31, 1992 in the form of a technical <br />revision and were subsequently found to be adequate. <br />Description of the Environment <br />The Bear Mine No. '1, 2, and 3 permit area lies within the drainage of the <br />North Fork of the Gunnison River, which is tributary to the Colorado River <br />system. The mined area consists of rugged topographic relief. Elevations in <br />the area range from 6,000 feet at Somerset to 12,719 feet at the summit of Mt. <br />Gunnison. The North Fork of the Gunnison River has cut a deep canyon through <br />the area and separates high tablelands south of the river from the slopes of <br />the Grand Mesa to the north. The narrow, steep-sided canyon in the vicinity <br />of the Bear Mine widens into a broad alluvial valley in the vicinity of <br />Paonia. The tableland to the south of the North Fork is deeply dissected by <br />tributary streams, and is bounded on the south and east by the West Elk <br />Mountain Range. <br />Land Use - Rules 2.04.3, 2.05.5 and 4.16 <br />Post-mining land use information is located in section 2.05.5 of the Bear <br />No. 1 and 2 permit application. Post-mining land use information for the Bear <br />No. 3 Mine is located in section 2.05.5 and 4.16 and Map 8 of the permit <br />revision application. <br />Pre-mining land use of the Bear No. 1 and 2 portal areas was undeveloped land <br />used primarily as wildlife habitat. The Bear.No. 1 portal area has been <br />historically used for mining. The site was used for mining continuously from <br />1934 to 1982. The Bear No. 2 portal area was undisturbed until 1980 when an <br />access road was constructed and portals were driven into the "C" coal seam. <br />Bear Coal Company reclaimed the Bear No. 1 and 2 area in 1982. The Bear No. 3 <br />portal and facilities area was undeveloped land prior to mining disturbance in <br />1934. The Edwards Mine was developed at the site of the current Bear No. 3 <br />portals in 1934. The Edwards Mine was operated by several operators until the <br />mine went into bankruptcy in 1966. <br />-3- <br />