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

July 26, 1993. Responses were in the form of a technical revision. Details
of these responses can be found within the Technical Revision No. 17 files
located at the Division offices or the SMC offices.
This document contains the "Proposed Decision to Approve the Permit
Application," a description of the environment affected by the mining
operation and the reclamation plan, and the Division's written findings of
compliance as required by the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act.
Detailed information concerning the review process is on file at the Division
offices; legal requirements can be found in the Act and Regulations of the
Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining. All rules referenced
in this document are contained within the Regulations. Detailed information
about the proposed mining and reclamation operation can be found in the permit
application on file (File No. C-81-022) in the public record maintained by the
Division, located in Room 215, Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street,
Denver, Colorado 80203, telephone [phone]. Copies of the application
are also available for inspection at the Delta County Clerk and Recorder's
Office in Delta, Colorado.
Right of Successive Renewal
C.R.S. 34-33-109(7) and Regulation 2.08,5 allow an operator to permit any
lands outside the five-year mine plan area with the right of successive
renewal. Somerset Mining Company has exercised this right. The permit area
for the Somerset Mine that was included in the application contains coal
reserves projected to last to the year 2013. The Division originally granted
SMC conditional approval to mine all of these lands. However, the permit term
will be divided into five-year increments. At the end of each permit term,
SMC need only apply for a permit renewal (along with responding adequately to
any applicable stipulations or conditions). In determining whether to approve
or deny a renewal, the burden shall be on the opponent of the renewal.
Description of the Environment
The present Somerset Mine consists of 61 acres of surface disturbed land and
3,424 acres of land which has been or will be undermined and may potentially
be affected by mining in the North Fork of the Gunnison River (North Fork)
drainage basin. (See Map E8-3306, Sheets 1 and 2 for the location of the
Somerset Mine. See Maps 5-006, 5-0076, and 5-007C for the location of the
Sanborn Creek Tract.)
The surface lands within the permit area include lands owned by Somerset
Mining Company and federally owned lands (USES and BLM). The coal reserve
owners include Somerset Mining Company, other private entities and federal
agencies.
Surface facilities are located in the Elk Creek, Bear Creek, Hubbard Creek and
Sanborn Creek drainages on the north side of the North Fork (Figure 1).
Mining areas include workings under the Hubbard, Elk, Bear Creek and Coal
Gulch drainages. Proposed workings of the Sanborn Creek East Tract will
undermine A, B, C and Hoopla Gulches, Sardine Canyon, Hawk's Nest Creek and an
unnamed tributary of Thompson Creek. Hubbard Creek is a perennial tributary
of the North Fork and provides both domestic and agricultural supplies of
water. Bear Creek, Elk Creek and Sanborn Creek are intermittent streams.
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