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1,0 Introduction
<br />This document is the decision (Decision) package prepared by the Colorado Division of
<br />Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) for the renewal of the existing permit (Permit) for the
<br />Colowyo Coal Mine (Mine). This document updates the findings documents prepared in 1982,
<br />1987, 1989, 1992, 1997, 2002, and 2009 and includes: 1) the proposed decision to the Permit
<br />Renewal Application; 2) a summary which includes a history of the renewal Application, a
<br />description of the environment affected by the operation, and a description of the mining and
<br />reclamation plan; and 3) the written findings of compliance the Division has made as required by
<br />the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act. Detailed information concerning the
<br />findings of compliance can be found in the Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land
<br />Reclamation Board for Coal Mining (Rules).
<br />The Division received an application for a Permit Renewal (RN -06) to conduct surface coal
<br />mining and reclamation operations on March 12, 2012. The Colowyo Coal Company L.P.
<br />( Colowyo) operates the Mine and submitted the renewal application (Application). The Mine is
<br />located on federal, state and private lands within Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado.
<br />Operations at the Mine were first recognized in 1976 under Colorado Mined Land Reclamation
<br />Division Extraction and Development Permit 76 -15 C /A, and have continued without cessation
<br />to this time.
<br />Legal Description of Permit Area
<br />The permit area is located in:
<br />Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 29 and 30,
<br />Township 3 North, Range 93 West (T3N R93W); and Sections 13, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24,
<br />26, 27, 28, 32, 33, and 34, Township 4 North, Range 93 West (T4N R93W); of the 6th
<br />Principal Meridian.
<br />A more precise legal description can be found in Exhibit 1, Item 12 of Volume 2A of the Permit
<br />Application Package (PAP).
<br />Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance January 2012
<br />Permit Renewal 06 Pa g e 12
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