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PUBLIC NOTICE
<br />Bear Coal Company, Inc., P.O. Box 1754, Paonia, CO 81424 has submitted an application for a
<br />phase I bond release to the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety for its mining permit No. C-
<br />1981-033. The initial mining permit was approved July 19, 1982. This permit action will release up
<br />to $167,000 from the reclamation bond. The current reclamation bond value is $279,224 and is in
<br />the form of two certificates of deposit and one cash deposit in the State Treasury. The area for
<br />which phase I bond release is being requested is about 7.5 acres at the Bear No. 3 Mine Site
<br />located in portions of Sections 8 and 17, T 13 S, R 90 W, 6m P.M., south of the North Fork of the
<br />Gunnison River.
<br />The Bear No. 3 Mine operated from 1982 until November 9, 1996 when mining ceased. The mine
<br />portals were sealed on January 9, 1997. All of the surface facilities have been dismantled and
<br />removed from the site. The portals were backfilled and the portal area was restored to approximate
<br />original contour during June and July 1997. The lower main site was restored to approximate
<br />original contour, plated with topsoil and seeded during 1998. There is one sediment pond and one
<br />passive water treatment pond on site.
<br />The Bear No. 3 Mine is located immediately south and east of the town of Somerset, CO. The North
<br />Fork of the Gunnison River is located north of the Mine. The mine permit area is located on the U.S.
<br />Geological Survey 7.5 minute Somerset Quadrangle map within the following sections.
<br />Township 13 South, Range 90 West, 6th P.M.
<br />Sections 8, 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21
<br />The approved Bear No. 3 Mine permit area contains 1108.4 acres of land, 1079.6 acres of
<br />private surface and 28.8 acres of Federal surface. Private minerals within the proposed permit
<br />area encompass 104.4 acres with Federal minerals accounting for the balance of 1004 acres.
<br />The surface of the permit area is owned by Bear Coal Company, oxbow Mining, LLC, Arch
<br />Coal Company, D L H 2001 Family Trust, and the U. S. Government which owns
<br />approximately 28.8 acres of the permitted land in Section 21.
<br />A copy of the bond release application is available for public inspection at the Gunnison County
<br />Clerk and Recorder's office, 221 N. Wisconsin, Suite C, Gunnison, CO, at the Paonia Public Library,
<br />140 Grand Avenue, Paonia, CO, and at the offices of the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety,
<br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215, Denver, CO, 80203, (303) 866-3567. Written comments or
<br />objections to the proposed release, and a request for a public hearing or informal conference may
<br />be submitted to and additional information obtained from the Division of Reclamation Mining and
<br />Safety, 1313 Sherman St., Room 215, Denver, Co. 80203-2273, phone (303) 866-3567.
<br />Comments, objections or requests for a public hearing or informal conference must be made within
<br />thirty (30) days of the last publication of this notice or within 30 days of the completed bond release
<br />inspection whichever is later.
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