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Land and Coal Ownership of the Bond Release Area The Cazbon Junction Mine was a surface coal mine that utilized azea strip methods. The land and coal in the bond release azea is privately owned. Mining disturbance in the bond release area consisted of a pit where coal was removed and later gravel was mined from the surrounding area. Lands included in the Bond Release Request The Carbon Junction Mine permit azea covers approximately 225.4 acres. The bond release azea consists of approximately 61.21 acres as shown on Map 101-D (submittal date May 3, 2005) in the bond release application. The 61.21 acres are comprised of lands that currently are within the coal permit boundary and also aze part of the Ewing Mesa gravel pit operation operated by Four Corners Materials, Inc. This gravel pit operation is covered by the Division's Minerals Program gravel mining and reclamation permit M-1992-116. Of the 61.21 acres in the bond release azea, approximately 12.39 acres have been reclaimed. This 12.39-acre area is the former South Pit azea where coal was mined, and subsequently gravel was mined (Figure 1). The remainder of the 61.21 acres is either part of the active sand and gravel operation or is undisturbed. Approximately 9.10 acres of the active gravel operation that aze within the bond release azea were previously disturbed by coal operations, resulting in reclamation responsibility for the gravel mine operator and the coal mine operator, This redisturbed area was formerly a surface facilities azea for the coal operation (Figure 1). Dollar Amount of Bond Release Request The Division currently holds a reclamation bond in the amount of $816,526. The current reclamation liability at the Carbon Junction Mine is $960,325. Oakridge is requesting release of $150,416 of bond. This amount is itemized in the bond release cost estimate submitted in Technical Revision 12 in September 2003. There has been no previous release of bond at the Cazbon Junction Mine. A release of Phase I, II, and III reclamation liability for 18.34 acres outside the current bond release area was previously granted in SL-O1, but no bond was associated with the liability release. II. SUMMARY OF THE BOND RELEASE PROCESS Reclamation History of Bond Release Area Coal extraction in the approximate 12.39-acre South Pit disturbed area was completed prior to 1990. In the South Pit disturbed azea was reclaimed in 2003, although gravel operations are approved for continuing in this area. The South Pit azea was backfilled, topsoiled, and seeded. The reclamation plan for the South Pit azea is described on page 5-32 of the permit application. Coal operations constructed no permanent structures in the bond release azea. No structures from the coal operation remain in the bond release.