|
Phase II Bond Release, SL-03, was approved on November 24, 1993. The release was for 29
<br />acres at the loadout and the "Diamond A Parcel". A total of $77,267.00 was released. A Partial
<br />Phase II Bond Release, SL-04, was approved on November 13, 2001. The release was for 63.3
<br />acres at the mine and the loadout. A total of $158,430.00 was released. A Partial Phase III Bond
<br />Release, SL-05, was approved on March 24, 2003. The release was for 58.9 acres of disturbed
<br />area and 60.9 acres of affected area, leaving the mine in its current configuration, with 4.3
<br />disturbed acres and 1,504.1 affected acres. The Division is currently reviewing a Partial Phase
<br />III Bond Release, SL-06, which is a request for a termination of jurisdiction for the entire site.
<br />Proposed Decision
<br />The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety proposes to approve an application
<br />for renewal of the valid, existing permit C-1981-025 (Permit). The application was submitted by
<br />MINREC, Inc. for the North Thompson Creek Mines. This decision is based on a finding that the
<br />operations will comply with all requirements of the Colorado State Program as found in the
<br />Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act, C.R.S. 34-33-101 et seq., and the Regulations
<br />promulgated pursuant to the Act (Rules). If no request for a formal hearing is made within thirty
<br />(30) days of the first publication of the issuance of this proposed decision, then this decision
<br />becomes final. The permit application, all supporting documentation and any stipulations or
<br />conditions will become a binding part of the permit
<br />Summary
<br />History of the Review Process
<br />On August 15, 1983, the North Thompson Creek Mines were issued a permanent program
<br />permit, Permit No. C-81-025, for a five-year term. The Division renewed this Permit for
<br />subsequent five-year terms on August 16, 1988, August 15, 1993, August 15, 1998 and July 28,
<br />2003. The current five-year-term Permit expired on August 15, 2008. This renewal will expire
<br />August 15, 2013. The mine is no longer producing coal, and nearly all of the reclamation work
<br />was completed by 1987.
<br />On November 19, 2007 the Division notified MINREC that a permit renewal application for a
<br />fifth permit term must be submitted no later than 180 days preceding the expiration of the permit
<br />on August 15, 2008. MINREC, Inc. submitted an application for the renewal of the North
<br />Thompson Creek Mines Permit C-1981-025 on December 12, 2007 (Application). The
<br />Application was received at the Division on December 17, 2007. The Division deemed the
<br />application complete on December 26, 2007. The applicant had published a public notice of the
<br />application for permit renewal in the Glenwood Springs Post Independent once each week for
<br />four weeks (January 16, 23 and 30, 2008 and February 6, 2008). The Division received no
<br />comments concerning this renewal.
<br />A preliminary adequacy review letter, in which the Division identified deficiencies in the
<br />original renewal Application, was sent to the Applicant on February 18 2009. Resolution of the
<br />North Thompson Creek C-1981-025
<br />Permit Renewal 05
<br />12 May 2009
<br />4
|