Laserfiche WebLink
} '( <br />In addition to these concerns, the following timeline occurred in the process of <br />determin ing the appropriate recla mation bond amount necessary for <br />accompli shing reclamation under a "worst case disturbance scenario": <br />February 28, 1992 Colowyo proposed "worst case disturbance" scenario <br />March 6, 1992 Division agreed on "worst case disturbance" scenario <br />April 1, 1992 Colowyo submitted its reclamation bond estimate <br />May 12, 1992 Division completed its initial reclamation bond estimate <br />May 22, 1992 and <br />June 3, 1992 Meetings occurred to discuss reclamation bond estimates <br />June 18, 1992 Colowyo submitted further comments on the Division's <br /> estima te <br />During the Division's adequacy review, Colowyo requested and was granted several <br />extensions of the review period. A proposed decision was reached on June 4, <br />1992 with publication of the proposed decision in the Northwest Colorado Daily <br />Press beginning on June 8, 1992. <br />Description of the Environment <br />General <br />Colowyo Coal Company, owned by Gracoal, Inc. and Gracoal II, Inc. of Grace <br />Energy Corporation, operates the Colowyo Coal Mine. Operations at the Colowyo <br />Mine began in 1976, under CMLRD Extraction and Development Permit 76-15 C/A, and <br />have continued without cessation to this time. <br />The Colowyo operation (including the pit, the general offices, and a rail <br />loadout facility) is located in Moffat County, approximately 28 miles southwest <br />of Craig, Colorado, on State Highway 13. The mine operation, as proposed, will <br />consist of several pits operating within 7,402 permitted acres of which 3,810 <br />acres will be disturbed by mining. Approximately 85 percent of the surface <br />acreage of the proposed permit area is owned by Colowyo Coal Company, with most <br />of the remainder being federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management <br />(BLM). <br />Land Use <br />Land use information is found in Sections 2.04.3, 2.05.5, 3.00 and 4.16 and <br />Map 17 of the permit application. Specific findings are described in Section B, <br />Item XII of this document. <br />Land use in the permit and adjacent area is primarily rangeland and wildlife <br />habitat. There is some dryland farming on level uplands, and small areas of <br />irrigated pasture and hayland along stream courses in the general area. <br />Rangeland on the permit area is characterized as good condition sagebrush and <br />mountain shrub range that, in the past, was variously grazed by either sheep or <br />cattle during the spring, summer or fall. The rangeland also supports <br />substantial populations of mule deer, elk, sage grouse, golden eagles and <br />numerous other wildlife species at various times throughout the year. Post mine <br />land use will support wildlife and livestock utilization. <br />-3- <br />