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Request for Permit Termination; Lower Coal Basin Reclamation Construction Projects <br />Stormwater Perrnit (COR-040204) <br />The Coal Basin Mines were operated under a Mining Permit (C-81-017) issued to Mid- <br />Continent Resources by the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board. Subsequent to <br />permit issuance, the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board revoked the permit and <br />forfeited the reclamation bond. The Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology <br />(Division) initiated reclamation operations at the site in 1995. Reclamation of the entire <br />mine site was substantially completed in the fall of 2000. <br />Reclamation of the entire Coal Basin Mine was accomplished as a series of smaller <br />reclamation projects, each project targeting a specific portion of the lazger disturbed area. <br />The Division implemented various reclamation construction projects at the site through <br />independent contractors. Completion of these projects was a necessary component of the <br />reclamation process undertaken by the Division as required by the Colorado Surface Coal <br />Mining Reclamation Act. <br />The Division determined that submittal of a General Permit Application for Stormwater <br />Discharges Associated With Mining for the reclamation projects being accomplished near <br />the confluence of Dutch and Coal Creeks was desirable. To that end, the Division <br />submitted the Lower Coal Basin Reclamation Construction Projects Stormwater Permit <br />application. Water Quality Control Division approved the application in November 1998. <br />The subject stormwater permit was issued for a very specific, well defined disturbed area <br />located neaz the confluence of Dutch and Coal Creeks. The goals of reclamation for the <br />subject azea were to create geomorphically stable landforms and to establish functional, <br />self sustaining vegetative communities by isolating coal refirse material from stormwater, <br />stabilizing coal waste piles, constructing a permanent channel for Dutch Creek, applying <br />topsoil to the disturbed azeas and seeding the site. <br />All earth-moving and revegetation activities were completed by the fall of 2000. As part <br />of the reclamation process, topsoil was distributed and the areas were seeded. Severe <br />scarification of the areas was accomplished using heavy equipment. The result of the <br />scarification process was a land surface that disrupts surface water flows, resulting in <br />significantly suppressed water velocities and discontinuous flow paths, thus greatly <br />reducing erosion potential and resultant sediment delivery to receiving streams. <br />Vegetative communities within the reclaimed areas have been successfully established. <br />Vegetation greatly exceeds pre-reclamation levels, is diverse, and is significant in extent <br />and cover. <br />Reclamation succeeded in reducing sediment delivery to receiving streams by creating <br />geomorphically stable, well vegetated landforms at the former locations of the coal <br />processing facilities, a coal refuse disposal area, mine offices and equipment storage <br />areas. <br />2 <br />