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Introduction <br />This document is the decision package prepared by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, <br />Mining and Safety (Division) for the North Thompson Creek Mines, Permit C-1981-025 <br />(Permit). The North Thompson Creek Mines (Mine) is a reclaimed coal mine and no coal <br />extraction or new coal mining operations are proposed to occur during the next permit term. <br />Continuing operation and maintenance of mine water discharge treatment and remaining <br />reclamation operations are proposed. This document includes (1) the proposed decision to <br />approve the permit renewal; (2) a summary which includes a history of the review of the permit <br />application, a description of the environment affected by the operation, and a description of the <br />mining and reclamation plans; and (3) the written findings of compliance the Division has made <br />as required by the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act. Detailed information <br />concerning the findings of compliance can be found in the Regulations of the Colorado Mined <br />Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining. <br />The North Thompson Creek Permit includes two areas. An area of underground mining and <br />former surface support facilities is referred to as the "mine site" in this document. Coal was <br />hauled from the mine site by truck to another area, where coal was off-loaded for transfer to a <br />conveyor belt. The second area, and a portion of the haul road to it, is referred to as the "loadout <br />site" in this document. A conveyor conveyed coal across the Roaring Fork River to a rail car load <br />out. The corridor of the former conveyor belt from the center and to the west of the Roaring Fork <br />River is also a part of the loadout site. The corridor of the former conveyor belt from the center <br />and east of the Roaring Fork River, and the site of the rail loadout, a 29-acre area identified as <br />the Diamond A parcel, were previously reclaimed, released from bonding requirements, and <br />removed from the permit in 1994. <br />The mine site is located on federal and private lands about seven miles (straight-line distance) <br />southwest of Carbondale, within Pitkin County, Colorado. The eastern edge of the permit area of <br />the mine site is located approximately eight and a half road miles from Carbondale (from the <br />intersection of Garfield County Roads 108 and 109 via Garfield County Road (GCR) 108 and <br />Pitkin County Road (PCR) 001. The loadout site is located on private lands approximately two <br />miles to the northwest of Carbondale, within Garfield County, approximately two miles north of <br />the GCR 108 and 109 intersection, on GCR 109. The legal descriptions of the lands included <br />within the permit area are: <br />Mine Site: Portions of Sections 21, 22, 27, 28, 33, 34 and 35, Township 8 South, Range 89 West, <br />and Portions of Sections 2, 3 and 4, Township 9 South, Range 89 West, 6th P.M. <br />Loadout Site: Portions of Sections 20 and 29, Township 7 South, Range 88 West, 6th P.M. <br />To date, the North Thompson Creek Mine has undergone five bond releases (SL-01 through SL- <br />05). A Partial Phase I Bond Release, SL-01, was approved on March 28, 1988. The release was <br />for all 60 acres at the loadout and 67 of 69 acres at the mine site. A total of $482,580.00 was <br />released. A Partial Phase 11 Bond Release, SL-02, was approved on November 23, 1993. The <br />release was for two acres of prime farmlands. A total of $45,000.00 was released. A Partial <br />North Thompson Creek C-1981-025 12 May 2009 <br />Permit Renewal 05 <br />3