GENERAL49646 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

United States Department of the Interior OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING Reclamation and Enforcement B ROOKS TOWERS 1020 15TH STREET DENVER, COLORADO 80202 ArR 2 0 1982 MEt40RANDUM T0: James R. Harris, Director, Office of Surface Mining FROM: Richard E. Dawes, Acting Administrator, Technical Ctr. West SUBJECT: Recommendation for Approval of the Mining and Reclamation Plan and the Permit for Pittsburg and Midway Coal Company's Edna Mine, Routt County, Colorado (Federal Lease Nos. C-021601, D-033327, D-041478, and D-053710). I. Recommendation Based on the Technical Analysis (TA) prepared by the State of Colorado, Mined Land Reclamation Division (MLRD), the Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared by the OSM, and other related material, I am recommending approval with stipulations of Pittsburg and Midway's (P & t4) mining and reclamation permit and approval of the mine plan for the Edna mine. The company has proposed to continue surface coal mining operations within Federal coal lease Nos. D-053710, D-041478 and D-033327, and to initiate surface coal mining within Federal coal lease No. C-021601 fora permit term of five years. In addition, I concur that the bond amount of $2,631,945.00 is adequate. OSM and the State, in the course of their review, have identified some elements of the applicant's permit proposal which, in order to be in compliance with the approved State program, require conditions of approval. The conditions (special stipu- lations) are attached to the proposed permit (CO-0010, 4/82) and are included as part of the preferred alternative. II. Background The existing Edna Mine is a surface mine operating on private, fee (State Permit C-001-80) and Federal coal lease lands. The site is located approximately 5 miles northwest of the town of Oak Creek in Routt County, Colorado (see location map). The mine began operations in the late 1940's. The proposed permit area covers 4,360 acres, of which approximately 2,600 acres have been disturbed by past mining. This permit covers the last presently feasible mining areas on the Moffat area and remining of the lJest Ridge area. During this permit, about 780 acres will be mined and another 420 acres will be or have been disturbed for roads and other facilities. Coal is moved by conveyor belt to a railroad loadout facility. Almost all of the coal is shipped to public utilities. Under the present sales agreements, the Edna Mine is committed to an annual production rate of 800,000 tons of coal per year be- gining in 1982. Mining in West Ridge has an annual production rate of 800,000 to