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Summary The Review Process The Hayden Gulch Mine has applied for Permit Renewal Number 4. The original permit was issued on 4 January 1982, although coal-mining operations had started in January 1978. The first permit renewal was issued on 4 January ] 987, while the second permit renewal was issued on 4 January 1992. The third permit renewal was issued on 11 February 1997. The third permit renewal expired on 4 Januazy 2002. On 9 Apri12001 the Division sent a letter to the operator's designated agent, Montgomery Watson Hazza, in accordance with Rule 2.08.5(2)(a), informing the operator of the need to submit a complete permit renewal package. The Operator submitted a permit renewal application on 12 July 2001 and the Division called the application complete on 20 July 2001. The Division sent out its adequacy letter on 12 November 2001 and received back responses on 29 March 2002. The 29 March 2002 submittal adequately addressed all of the questions raised with the renewal. On 6 May 2002 the Division proposed to approve, without stipulations, the Hayden Gulch Permit Renewal No. 4. Description of the Environment The mine site is located in an upland area a few miles south of Hayden in Routt County, at an elevation of approximately 7600 feet. Land use in this area consists of grazing and wildlife habitat. Several species of birds and large and small mammals were noted in the area during a wildlife survey. Cattle are grazed in the area from May until October. The mine is situated within the Williams Fork Mountains, which lie at the southern edge of the Washakie Basin physiographic province. Structurally, the area is underlain by the southwestern limb of the northwest plunging Watering Trough Syncline, which produces dips in the local strata of four to eight degrees northeast. Although faults have been identified in the area, none have been identified within the mine permit area. Coal mined by the operation was within the upper unit of the Williams Fork Formation. The coals were separated by siltstones, mudstones and sandstones. At the base of the upper unit of the Williams Fork Formation, 200 to 300 feet below the coal zone, is the 100-foot thick ledge forming the Twentymile Sandstone. The Twentymile Sandstone outcrops below the southern end of the mine site. The Twentymile Sandstone and lower lying Trout Creek Sandstone are aquifers of significant regional extent. Other ground water bearing zones occur in the coals and local lenticular sandstones within the mining area. Recharge areas for most of these strata are on the south facing slopes along the Williams Fork River Valley south of the mine. Ground water tends to