GENERAL54180

• Permit No: C1981022
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 9/10/1993
• Doc Name: PROPOSED DECISION & FINDINGS OF COMPLIANCE FOR RN2
• Permit Index Doc Type: FINDINGS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Summary
The Review Process
The Somerset Mine and Sanborn Creek Tract, operated by Somerset Mining Company
(SMC), are located in Delta and Gunnison Counties, and are adjacent to the
town of Somerset on State Highway 133.
The original permit under the Colorado Permanent Regulatory Program was issued
to U.S. Steel Mining Company, Inc. on October 11, 1983. Kaiser Coal
Corporation acted as operator on the property from 1986 to 1990. In 1990,
Somerset Mining Company transferred the permit and completed the permit
renewal for another five-year permit term. The present permit period runs
from October 11, 1988 and expires on October 11, 1993. Upon finalization of
the purchase of the mine and transfer and renewal of the permit, Somerset
Mining Company proposed opening a new set of mine portals to access the Band
C coal seams. This proposal was presented in the form of Permit Revision
No. One (PR-Ol) submitted to the Di vi son on June 4, 1990 and approved on
March 27, 1991.
Permit Revision No. Two (PR-02) was submitted to the Division on April 13,
1992. The application was deemed complete on April 23, 1992. Somerset Mining
Company published its notice of the revision application in the Delta County
Independent on May 13, 20 and 27, and on June 3, 1992.
The permit revision area is located within 100 feet of the outside right of
way of State Highway 133. Therefore, in accordance with Rule 2.07.6(2)(d)(iv),
a public hearing was advertised on June 24, 1992 in the Delta County
Independent. No comments or requests fora public hearing were received;
tt erica hearing was not held.
Preliminary permit revision application adequacy review comments were mailed
to the operator on June 22 and July 6, 1992. Somerset Mining Company
responded to these concerns on July 24, 1992. A second adequacy review letter
was mailed to the operator on August 25, 1992, and responses were received on
August 27 and September 17, 1992. A third and final adequacy review letter
was sent to the operator on September 21, 1992. Final responses were received
on September 24, 1992. The response letters received from Somerset Mining
Company adequately addressed the Division's concerns. The Division approved
the permit revision, with a stipulation, on September 25, 1992. The
stipulation, Stipulation No. 12, required the mine plan approval, from the
Uffice of Surface Mining (OSM), to be in place for coal lease COC-53510 before
the permit revision could receive final approval. OSM approval was received
by the Division on March 19, 1993, and final approval of Permit Revision No. 2
was thereby issued.
On April 12, 1993, Somerset Mining Company's application for renewal of a
valid, existing permit to conduct coal mining operations, Permit No. C-81-022,
was deemed complete.
This "Findings of Compliance" document has been updated to reflect existing
conditions and issues discussed during the 1993 permit renewal process.
These issues were summarized in the preliminary adequacy review letter of
June 11, 1993. SMC's adequacy responses were received by the Division on
-4-