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Summary <br />The Review Process <br />On October 27, 2009, the Division notified Seneca Coal Company that its permit for the Yoast <br />Mine would expire on December 31, 2010 (this notification was in error, as the permit expiration <br />date was August 5, 2010). Seneca Coal Company submitted an application for renewal of a <br />valid, existing permit on January 28, 2010. Since a complete application for renewal was <br />received 180 days prior to expiration of the previous permit, Seneca Coal Company is assured of <br />the right to continue mining under that permit during the review of the renewal application. The <br />application was deemed complete on February 8, 2010, and notification of the complete <br />application was sent to required entities (per Rule 2.07.3(3)(b)) the following day. A public <br />notice of the application was published in the Steamboat Pilot & Today once a week for four <br />consecutive weeks beginning February 21, 2010. There were no comments regarding this permit <br />renewal received by the Division as a result of the published public notice. <br />The Division received comments on the application from the Colorado Natural Heritage Program <br />and the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Both agencies stated that they had no concerns with <br />renewal of the permit, based on their previous reviews of the permit application package and the <br />fact that there were no proposed changes to the existing reclamation plan. <br />The Division queried the Applicant Violator System (AVS) on March 8, 2010; the <br />recommendation from the system was issue. The system was again queried on December 14, <br />2010, with a recommendation to issue the permit renewal application. <br />The cost estimate for bond liability has not been revised as a result of this renewal application. <br />The latest reclamation cost estimate prepared for the Phase I Bond Release (SL-2), approved on <br />June 15, 2010, remains valid. The calculated liability for the Yoast Mine is $4,305,484.00, for <br />which SCC has self bonded. <br />Description of the Environment <br />The Yoast Mine area is located approximately 8.5 miles southeast of the town of Hayden, and is <br />positioned between three existing coal mining operations and one newly permitted coal mine. <br />The Yoast Mine plan area is approximately 4 miles southwest of the Seneca II Mine and Sage <br />Creek Mine, 3.5 miles east of the Seneca II-W mine, and one mile west of the reclaimed Grassy <br />Gap Mine. See Figure 1 for further detail. The mining area is located between Sage Creek and <br />Grassy Creek and is found on USGS Mount Harris and Dunkley maps. <br />Mining took place in two separate areas, and in the neck pit connecting the two areas. During <br />the first five-year permit term, mining developed in Section 17 of Township 5 North, Range 87 <br />West. Mining during the second and third terms took place in Sections 17, 19, 20, 29, and 30. <br />Geology and Topography <br />Yoast Mine 9 December 15, 2010