GENERAL54560

• Permit No: C1981047
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 12/18/1992
• Doc Name: Proposed Decision & Findings of Compliance for RN2
• Permit Index Doc Type: Findings
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

An application to renew the permit was submitted on June 15, 1987. It was
found to be complete on June 15, 1987, and the Division's preliminary adequacy
review was sent on August 6, 1977. Blue Ribbon Coal Company submitted
responses to the adequacy review on August 31, 1987. The Division made a
decision to approve the permit renewal on November 20, 1987 and the permit was
issued on January 15, 1988.
On January 3, 1990, MINREC, Incorporated, succeeded Blue Ribbon Coal Company
as operator of the Blue Ribbon Mine.
A second permit renewal was applied for by MINREC, Inc. on July 6, 1992 and
was found to be complete on July 13, 1992. The Division's preliminary
adequacy review was sent on September 2, 1992, and MINREC's responses were
received on October 19, 1992, in the form of a technical revision. The
technical revision, which addressed the issues raised in the preliminary
adequacy review was approved on December 18, 1992, and the permit was
subsequently issued.
Description of the Environment
Site Description and Land Use - Rule 2.04.3
The Blue Ribbon Mine is located in the northeast portion of Delta County,
Colorado, approximately two miles north of Juanita Junction in the Hubbard
Creek drainage. Juanita Junction is six miles northeast of Paonia along the
old Colorado State Highway 133. The mine previously operated a truck scale
and coal storage facility adjacent to State Highway 133, approximately three
miles northeast of Paonia. This facility was released from the permit area in
March 1989 because the State Highway Department acquired the land on which the
scale facility was located, to provide for the construction of an upgraded
highway through the area. The operator dismantled the truck scale facility
and regraded the area according to the reclamation plan prior to release of
this area.
Hubbard Creek is a perennial tributary of the North Fork of the Gunnison River
and provides both domestic and agricultural supplies of water. The confluence
of Hubbard Creek and the North Fork of the Gunnison River is located
approximately two miles north and 500 feet below the mine. The North Fork of
the Gunnison enters the main stem of the Gunnison River approximately 30 miles
southwest of the Blue Ribbon Mine site.
The watershed of Hubbard Creek is mountainous, ranging in elevation from
11,327 feet atop Crater Peak to 5,900 feet at the confluence of Hubbard Creek
with the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Slopes at the mine vary from 0 to
60 percent and elevation varies from 6,300 feet at the southern contact of the
permit area and Hubbard Creek to 7,800 feet at the northeast corner of the
permit area. The mine portals were at an elevation of 6,470 feet.
The general area in which the Blue Ribbon Mine is located is characterized by
steeply sloping mountains covered either with tall shrub vegetation,
particularly oakbrush and serviceberry, or stands of pinon and juniper trees.
Drainages in the area are lined with riparian vegetation communities along the
stream banks. Some of the more level areas have been cleared and support
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