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1. Introduction
<br />This document is the decision (Decision) package prepared by the Colorado Division of
<br />Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) for the renewal of an existing permit for the
<br />Colowyo Coal Mine (Mine). This document updates the findings documents prepared in 1982,
<br />1987, 1989, 1992, 1997, 2002, and May 4, 2007 and includes: 1) the proposed decision to the
<br />Permit Renewal Application; 2) a summary which includes a history of the renewal Application,
<br />a description of the environment affected by the operation, and a description of the mining and
<br />reclamation plan; and 3) the written findings of compliance the Division has made as required by
<br />the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act. Detailed information concerning the
<br />findings of compliance can be found in the Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land
<br />Reclamation Board for Coal Mining (Rules).
<br />The Division received an application for a Permit Renewal (RN-05) to conduct surface coal
<br />mining and reclamation operations on 27 April 2007. The Colowyo Coal Company L.P.
<br />(Colowyo) operates the Mine and submitted the renewal application (Application). The Mine is
<br />located on federal, state and private lands within Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado.
<br />Operations at the Mine were first recognized in 1976 under Colorado Mined Land Reclamation
<br />Division (CMLRD) Extraction and Development Permit 76-15 C/A, and have continued without
<br />cessation to this time.
<br />1.2 Legal Description
<br />The permit area is located in:
<br />Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 29 and 30,
<br />Township 3 North, Range 93 West (T3N R93W); and Sections 13, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24,
<br />26, 27, 28, 32, 33, and 34, Township 4 North, Range 93 West (T4N R93W); of the 6th
<br />Principal Meridian.
<br />A more precise legal description can be found in Exhibit 1, Item 12 of Volume 2A of the Permit
<br />Application Package (PAP). .
<br />2. Proposed Decision
<br />The Division proposes to Approve with Conditions an application for renewal (Permit Renewal
<br />No. 5) of a valid, existing permit (C-1981-019) to conduct surface mining and reclamation
<br />activities in Colorado.
<br />The following stipulations have been added to and have become a binding part of the Colowyo
<br />Permit:
<br />STIPULATION 2
<br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance 14 September 2009
<br />Pen-nit Renewal 05 Page 4
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