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.. ~ ._....~..... .. .. - ~V>>. .'~ _ G .. .~ .. ., ~ ..r y •• ~y ~i:~ ~' :.'; .... ~.. ~nIJT August 31, 1992 in the form of a technical revision and gene subsequently found to be adequate. On December 1, 1993, Bear Coal Company submitted Permit Revision No. 1, which proposed the addition of 205 acres to the permit area. The revision originally proposed 11 new panels west of and adjacent to the current B-seam workngs. Proposed mining is located in Coal Lease C-0117192 and a small section of Atlantic Richfield Company fee coal. The permit revision was deemed complete on December 3, 1993. The Division's preliminary adequacy comments of February 1, 1994 were addressed by Bear Coal in their March 4, 1994 submittal. Secondary adequacy comments were sent to Bear Coal on March 28, 1994. Bear Coal submitted its responses on Apri122, 1994. The submittal adequately addressed all remaining adequacy concerns. Poor mining conditions were encountered during the permit revision review process, on the north end adjacent to the proposed mine workings. These conditions forced the proposed mine plan to be revised to include only seven new panels, which would extend the Bear Mine No. 3 life of mine by 14 months. The proposed Permit area boundary did not change. These fmdings are being amended in response to the submittal of Permit Revision No. 2. This revision was submitted on September 29, 1994 and proposed expanding their none plan to include addifional B-Seam coal reserves in Sections 16 and 20. The application was deemed complete on October 11, 1994 and initial adequacy comments were sent on December 9, 1994. The operator provided adequate responses to these. initial comments on January 3, 1995. The decision to approve the revision was almost complete when additional concerns were raised by the Division. To address these concerns, an additional stipulation (35) was attached as a condition of approval. The revision, with two stipulations, was approved on February 8, 1995. Description of the F~vironment The Bear Mine No. 1, 2, and 3 permit area lies within the drainage of the North Fork of the Gunnison River, which is tributary to the Colorado River system. The mined area consists of rugged topographic relief. Elevations in the area range from 6,000 feet at Somerset to 12,719 feet at the summit of Mt. Gunnison. The North Fork of the Gunnison River has cut a deep canyon through the area and separates high tablelands south of the river from the slopes'of the Grand Mesa to the north. The narrow, steep-sided canyon in the vicinity of the Bear Mine widens into a broad alluvial valley in the vicinity of Paonia. The tableland to the south of the North Fork is deeply dissected by tributary streams, and is bounded on the south and east by the West Ells Mountain Range. land Use -Rules 2.04.3. 2.05.5 and 4.16 Pre-mining land use of the Bear No. 1 and 2 portal areas was undeveloped land used primarily as wildlife habitat. The Bear No. 1 portal area has been historically used for mining. The site was used for mining continuously from 1934 to 1982. The Bear No. 2 portal area was undisturbed until 1980 when an access road was constructed and portals were driven into the C-Seam. Bear Coal Company reclaimed the Bear No. 1 and 2 area in 1982. The Bear No. 3 portal and facilities area was undeveloped land prior to mining disturbance 4