GENERAL49126

• Permit No: C1984065
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 9/1/1989
• Doc Name: PROPOSED DECISION & FINDINGS OF COMPLIANCE FOR RN1
• Permit Index Doc Type: FINDINGS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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so impacts up to the present time have been negligible or
nonexistent. At the Coal Ridge No. 1 operation, all runoff is
routed into a sediment pond. Very few discharges have taken place,
and there have been no NPDES water quality exceedences. The Coal
Ridge sediment control system shall remain in place until
revegetation standards are met, so the operation should contribute
little suspended sediment to the Colorado River. There is
therefore little or no potential for cumulative impacts from the
two mines on surface water quality.
The containment of nearly all disturbed-area surface runoff by
sediment ponds at both operations reduces surface water quantity in
Harvey Gap drainage and in the Colorado River to an extent.
However, the total disturbed area is only 49.5 acres (12 acres at
Eastside and 37.5 acres at Coal Ridge), compared to the drainage
area for the Colorado River at Glenwood Springs of 6,013 square
miles. Water in the Harvey Gap and Colorado River alluvial bodies
is hydraulically connected to the associated surface stream.
Surface water and alluvial ground water quantity reductions are
therefore negligible.
In conclusion, coal mining at the Eastside and Coal Ridge No. 1
operations is not expected to cumulatively impact the quality or
quantity of ground water or surface water of the Colorado River
Basin. The Division finds the operations proposed at the Coal
Ridge No. 1 Mine have been designed to prevent material damage to
the hydrologic balance outside the permit area.
4.
The Division finds that the permit area is, subject to valid rights
existing as of August 3, 1977, not within:
a) An area designated unsuitable for surface coal mining operations
(2.07.6(2)(d)(i));
b) An area under study far designation as unsuitable for surface coal
mining operations (2.07.6(2)(d)(ii));
c) The boundaries of the National Park System, the National Wildlife
Refuge Sy stem, the National System of Trails, the National
Wilderness Preservation System, the Wild and Scenic Rivers System
including rivers under study for designation, and National
Recreation Areas (2.07 .6 (2 )(d)(iii)(A));
d) Three hundred feet of any
community or institutional
(2.07.6(2)(d)(iii)(B));
public building, school, church,
building, or public park
e) One hundred feet of a cemetary (2.07 .6 (2 )(d)(iii)(C));
f) The boundaries of any National Forest unless the required finding
of compatibility has been made by the Secretary of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. (2.07.6(2)(d)(iii)(D));
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