1981-08-20_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981038

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i INTRODUCTION Colorado Westmoreland, Inc. , a subsidiary of Westmoreland Coal Company, has filed an application for the Orchard Valley mine pursuant to the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act (Section 34-33-109, C.R.S. 1973, as amended) and the Rules promulgated thereunder. The Orchard Valley mine is an existing underground mine which has been in operation since 1975. The mine is situated in the northeastern portion of Delta County, Colorado and is located approximately 5 miles North of Paonia, Colorado along the Stevens Gulch road. The western and southern extremities of the Orchard Valley mine permit area are bounded closely by Stevens Gulch, and the northern boundary is located approximately 1 mile South of the Morrell Cow Camp area. The eastern extremity of the permit area is located approximately 1.5 miles West of Terror Creek. The coal loadout facilities are located approximately 1 mile northeast of Paonia along State Highway No. 133. The general area in which the mine is located is characterized by a semi-arid environment of steeply slopin g)mountains and relatively flat mesas covered either with tall shrub vegetation, particu- larly oakbrush and serviceberry, or stands of Pinion and Juniper. Some of the surrounding mesas have been cleared and currently support agricultural activities, but for the most part, the• area is used for limited livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Recreational activities, such as big game hunting and jeeping, also occur here. The Orchard Valley mine permit area is drained by the North Fork of the Gunnison River, which is part of the Colorado River drainage basin. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent on the permit area, and elevations range from about 5,700 feet at the loadout facilities area to approximately 8,700 feet at the northern extremity of the permit area. The general direction of mining will be northward to extract coal from the "D" seam. The coal will move from the mining face via teletram to a feeder- breaker and then out of the mine via conveyor belt to a silo. The coal is then trucked to a railroad loadout facility where it is loaded onto trains for shipment to market. The current production rate of between 700,000 and 1.3 million tons per year will be maintained during the term of the permit. The mine uses the room and pillar method of extracting coal. The Orchard Valley mine permit application- was originally submitted on September 30, 1977, and was determined to be complete on October 7, 1977. The permit application was approved by the Mined Land Reclamation Board under the interim program on April 27, 1978. A modified permit application to comply with the proposed Colorado Permanent Regulatory Program was submitted on June 18, 1979, and the Division's initial review comments concerning this application were sent to the applicant on December 2, 1980. The Colorado Permanent Regu- latory Program was approved on December 15, 1980, and Colorado Westmoreland resubmitted a revised application on February 17, 1981. This application was determined to be complete on February 27, 1981. The applicant received the Division's preliminary adequacy review comments to this revised submittal on April 27, 1981, and the company responded to these comments on July 20, 1981. The Division then began preparation of it's written findings and published it's proposed decision approving the application with several stipulations on August 20, 1981. Documentation of the permit review process is on file in the office of the Division.