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Explanation of Findings <br />Findings of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />for the <br />Hamilton Mine <br />Pursuant to Rule 2.07.6(2) of the Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal <br />Mining, and the approved State program, the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety or the Board <br />must make specific written findings prior to issuance of a permit, permit renewal or permit revision. <br />These findings are based on information made available to the Division that demonstrates that the applicant <br />will be able to operate in compliance with the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act and the <br />Regulations promulgated pursuant to the Act. <br />The findings in the following sections required by Rule 2.07.6(2) are listed in accordance with that Rule. <br />The findings and specific approvals required pursuant to Rule 2.07.6(2)(m) are listed in accordance with <br />Rule 4 and are organized under subject or discipline subtitles. <br />This findings document is updated upon permit renewal, which occurs every five years for most mines. <br />This is the renewal findings document for the Hamilton Mine, which has a five year permit term. The <br />following findings were reevaluated and updated as necessary to reflect changes that have occurred during <br />the past permit term. Any stipulations from the original permit and fmdings document have been totally <br />resolved and have been removed from this document. <br />SECTION A - Findings Required by Rule 2.07.6 <br />1. The permit application is accurate and complete. All requirements of the Act and these rules have <br />been complied with. (2.07.6(2)(a)). <br />2. Based on information contained in the permit application and other information available to the <br />Division, the Division finds that surface coal mining and reclamation can be feasibly accomplished at <br />the Hamilton Mine. (2.07.6(2)(b)). <br />3. The assessment of the probable cumulative impacts of all anticipated coal mining in the general area <br />on the hydrologic balance, as described in 2.05.6(3), has been made by the Division. This <br />assessment entitled "San Miguel Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Assessment" is available for <br />inspection at the offices of the Division. The Division finds that the operations proposed under the <br />application have been designed to prevent damage to the hydrologic balance outside the proposed <br />permit area. Please refer to Section B-IlI (Probable Hydrologic Consequences) of this document for <br />additional discussions of the predicted hydrologic consequences of mining operations at the Hamilton <br />Mine. <br />4. The Division finds that the permit area is, subject to valid rights existing as of August 3, 1977, not <br />within: <br />a. An area designated unsuitable for surface coal mining operations (2.07.6(2)(d)(i)); <br />b. An area under study for designation as unsuitable for surface coal mining operations <br />April 3, 2012 <br />RN4 <br />11 <br />