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Midterm Review No. 4 (MT4) <br />Yoast Mine <br />C- 1994 -082 <br />This document presents the results of the Division's Midterm Review for the Seneca Coal Company's <br />(SCC's) Yoast Mine permit. This Midterm Review was conducted to fulfill the requirements of Rules <br />2.083, 2.06.2 (10), 2.06.3 (4), 2.06.5 (2), and 3.02.2(4). <br />Rule 2.083 requires that the Division conduct a review of each permit issued, prior to its midterm. Based <br />on this review, for good cause shown, the Division may require reasonable revisions or modifications of <br />the permit provisions to ensure compliance with the Act and the Regulation. <br />Rules 2.06.2, 2.06.3, 2.06.5 and 2.06.7 require that experimental practices, mountaintop removal <br />variances, variances from approximate original contour (AOC), and variances from contemporaneous <br />reclamation, respectively, be reviewed by the Division where applicable during the Midterm Review. <br />The Yoast Mine does not have any experimental practices or any variances from mountaintop removal or <br />approximate original contour. However, the Division previously granted a variance from <br />contemporaneous reclamation (see Section V of this document). <br />Rule 3.02.2 (4) requires that the Division review the amount of performance bond liability and the terms <br />of acceptance of the bond every 2 -' /2 years. <br />This Midterm Review consists of a review of the Yoast Mine permit application and Findings Document <br />to identify items that may have been overlooked during the initial review. The Division also reviewed all <br />subsequent revisions and stipulation responses to ensure that all permit commitments and conditions were <br />being followed. Problems and observations from past Division inspection reports were also considered. <br />SECTION I - HISTORY OF SITE <br />Operations <br />The Yoast Mine is a surface coal mining operation located in Routt County, approximately seven miles <br />SSE of the town of Hayden. The mine is one of three surface mines operated by SCC, with Yoast <br />situated aerially between the Seneca II and Seneca II West mines. The Yeast Mine comprises 23183 <br />permitted acres, consisting of a narrow corridor for the former haul road which runs approximately five <br />miles south from Routt County Road 27 to the main body of the mine. Approximately 1019 acres have <br />been disturbed by surface operations. <br />SCC submitted the original application for a new permit on 16 November 1994. The application was <br />deemed complete on 21 November 1994. By 10 March 1995, the Division had received comments from <br />all the required agencies and entities and issued the permit effective 5 August 1995. Haul road <br />construction began at the mine site shortly before the first Division inspection, which occurred on 18 <br />August 1995. In mid - August 1996, the operator began stripping topsoil at the first pit. The dragline was <br />moved in late October through early November of 1996 and actual mining operations commenced shortly <br />thereafter. <br />An application for a third permit renewal was submitted by SCC on January 28, 2010. The Division on <br />December 15, 2010 wrote a Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance for Permit Renewal No. 3. <br />The five -year permit term was renewed effective January 19, 2011 and will expire on August 5, 2015. <br />