_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981017 (262)

Home Browse Search

-5- Summary of the Review Process The Environmental Description and The Mining and Reclamation Plan Mid-Continent Resources, Inc. has applied for a permit to continue underground mining operations at the Coal Basin mines. Coal Basin is located in southwestern Pitkin County approximately 4 miles west of Redstone, Colorado. Redstone, in turn, is 31 miles south of Glenwood Springs via State Highways 82 and 133. All mine portals and surface facilities are located in Pitkin County and within the White River National Forest, while the underground workings extend into Gunnison County and the Gunnison National Forest. I �; The Coal Basin operation includes five adjacent underground mines which currently produce approximately 800,000 to 1 ,300,000 tons per year. The potential tonnage which could be extracted is 2,450,000 tons per year. tS gz The mine plan area encompasses over 10,000 acres of which h�Y will gare potentially affected by underground mining activities, and -'�ZS acres Q1�u u r disturbed by surface facilities. y13 ,) a� ,(y,, rG Review Process V Iifrpn Mid-Continent Resources, Inc. submitted an application for the Coal Basin it , mines on February 5, 1981 pursuant to Section 34-33-109 of the Colorado I , Fer a�) Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act. Since that time, the application (t)a =, /?,4�1 has been under review by the Colorado ,~lined Land Reclamation Division j(Division) . The preliminary adequacy review letter which identifies �✓;o�r,t, deficiencies in the application was sent to the applicant on April 13, 1981 . Resolution of these deficiencies was required in order for the f Division to make aeterminations of compliance with the Act. The nw C ,,"�� applicant responded to the comments on August 28, 1981 . Subsequently, the Division and the applicant corresponded several times and the final responses were incorporated into the permit on As a G, result, the review process has been adequately completed ana the Division IA PO proposes to approve the Coal Basin mines permit application, with stipulations. Environmental Description The Coal Basin mines extract coal from t?ie/Cretaceous 'Mesa Verde formation in Coal 3asin, a small eroded anticline situated at the southern end of the Piceance Basin and superimposed on a mor,ocline called the Grand Hcyoacx. Two seams are mined in Coal 3asin, the "B" bed and the "mfi:ale" oea.