Laserfiche WebLink
In anticipation of final bond release, Minrec had provided vegetation sampling data that demonstrated that <br />there has been successful revegetation of the disturbed area in accordance with the approved reclamation <br />plan. The vegetation data had been provided in two submittals; the 2006 Revegetation Success Evaluation <br />Report and the 2006 & 2007 Revegetation Success Evaluation Report. The Division's Rules require that <br />the revegetation standards be met for two consecutive years within the ten year liability period. <br />In a submittal dated July 14, 2008 and received at the Division on July 17, 2008, BRL provided the proof <br />of publication for the completeness public notice that had been published in the Delta County <br />Independent on June 18, 25, July 2 and 9, 2008. The SL-2 submittal was called complete on July 28, 2008 <br />and the completeness letters were mailed out the next day. <br />In accordance with Rule 3.03.2(2), the Division sent out notification letters on August 7, 2008 that <br />informed the permittee, surface owners and lessees that the bond release inspection was to be held on <br />August 27, 2008. Notification letters were sent out to Minrec, the Bureau of Land Management, the <br />USDA-Forest Service, Oxbow Mining, LLC, the holders of the Allen grazing rights and the Office of <br />Surface Mining. <br />The Phase II and Phase III bond release inspection for the Blue Ribbon Mine was held on August 27, <br />2008. It was determined during the inspection that additional reclamation activities were needed before <br />final bond release could be granted. <br />In a letter dated August 29, 2008 and received at the Division on September 4, 2008, Oxbow Mining <br />formally presented its requests as fee surface owner concerning structures to be kept, the reclamation <br />already finished and the reclamation that needed to be done. No other comments were received by any of <br />the surface managers or lessees, the Office of Surface Mining, other agencies or organizations or by the <br />general public. In letters dated September 8, 2008, the Division sent copies of the Division's bond release <br />inspection report to Minrec, the Bureau of Land Management, the USDA-Forest Service, Oxbow Mining, <br />the holders of the Allen grazing rights and the Office of Surface Mining. <br />In order to evaluate the success of those reclamation operations that had been completed after the first <br />bond release inspection, a second bond release inspection was scheduled for August 27, 2009. <br />Notification letters of this follow up bond release inspection were sent out on August 5, 2009 to the same <br />parties that had been notified of the first inspection. <br />The follow up bond release inspection was held on August 27, 2009. All of the additional reclamation <br />work from the first Phase II and Phase III bond release inspection had been performed satisfactorily. The <br />Division's inspection report was sent to all parties that had been informed of the first bond release <br />inspection in 2008. <br />The Division did not receive any comments or requests for a public hearing or informal conference during <br />the bond release adequacy review process.