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Summary of the Review <br />Process <br />Sun Coal Company applied for partial bond release under the Colorado Surface <br />Coal Mining and Reclamation Act for reclamation work performed at the Meadows <br />No. 1 Mine. The operator requested that approximately 90.6 percent of the <br />total bond sum of E1,780,000 be released. The mine is located approximately <br />five miles southwest of Milner, in Routt County, Colorado. The permit area is <br />located in portions of Sections 11, 14, 23, 24, 25 and 26, T6N, R87W of the <br />6th P. M. <br />The Meadows No. 1 Mine has been in existence since April, 1977. The mine <br />suspended operations in February of 1981. The mine received a permit <br />(C-029-81) from the Division on August 9, 1983 for reclamation only. <br />Backfilling and grading of the pit area began in Spring of 1984. Topsoiling <br />and seeding operations were completed in Fall of 1984. Completion of the <br />implementation of the haul road decommission plan, which was approved as a <br />technical revision (July, 1984), was accomplished in Spring of 1985. <br />On February 8, 1985 the Division received a request from Sun Coal Company for <br />partial bond release on the pit area. The submittal requested that <br />89.2 percent of the total bond be released for backfilling, topsoiling, <br />seeding, and mulching. <br />On April 3, 1985 a preliminary adequacy letter was sent to Sun Coal, <br />addressing concerns with the bond release application. <br />On July 11, 1985 the Division received a request from Sun Coal company for <br />partial bond release on the haul road. The submittal requested that <br />90.6 percent of the total bond be released for implementation of the haul road <br />decommission plan. Sun Coal proposed that only sufficient money for road <br />maintenance be retained. <br />On July 24, 1985 a site inspection was held in accordance with <br />Rule 3.03.2(2). Present were representatives of the Division, Sun Coal, and <br />the landowner. Both bond release applications were considered in the <br />inspection. <br />On August 22, 1985 a request for an informal conference was submitted on <br />behalf of the landowner, in accordance with Rule 3.03.2(3). The request cited <br />various problems with the haul road and backfilled area. <br />On August 23, 1985 the Division sent a letter to Sun Coal which identified <br />outstanding issues which were discussed during the July 24, 1985 inspection. <br />This letter addressed the backfilled area only, and requested clarification <br />with respect to these issues. <br />