2013-04-19_REVISION - C1981019 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

United States Department of the Interior David Berry, Director Office of Mined Land Reclamation Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 -2273 OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING Reclamation and Enforcement Western Region Office 1999 Broadway, Suite 3320 Denver, CO 80202 -3050 APR 18 2013 R AP R 192.0 division of Recce aat on. Mining & RE: Partial Approval of SL -06 Phase I Bond Release, Colowyo Mine, Permit No. C -1981- 019, DRMS Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance, April 9, 2013 Dear Mr. Berry, This letter acknowledges the Office of Surface Mining (OSM), Denver Field Division's (DFD) receipt and review of the above Phase I Bond Release Proposed Decision document prepared by the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS) dated April 9, 2013. The Proposed Decision documents the applicant's compliance with the approved Colorado regulatory program at Rule 3.03.2. This Phase I bond release applies to backfilling, grading, and drainage reestablishment on 692.37 acres associated with the East Pit and West Pit areas. DRMS is not approving bond release for channels in the West Pit area that still receive runoff, or in the future will receive runoff, from large disturbed areas that have not received bond release. These include Taylor Tributary Ditch, Taylor Ditch, and East Taylor Ditch. OSM participated in the bond release inspection on August 8, 2012. The BLM participated in a portion of this inspection. By letter dated April 18, 2013, the BLM provided its concurrence with SL -06 (attached). OSM interprets the BLM's concurrence to mean that Colowyo Coal Company (CCC) is in compliance with all BLM coal lease stipulations. OSM agrees with DRMS that CCC has met or exceeded the requirements for Phase I bond release on the 692.37 acres of land as described above. The Division currently holds a performance bond in the amount of $80,517,829.00 for the Colowyo Mine. The Division now proposes to release $2,465,660.00 and has determined that the remaining $78,052,169.00 is sufficient to assure completion of the reclamation plan if the work had to be performed by the Board through independent contractors in the event of forfeiture. OSM agrees with the findings and decision document and hereby provides OSM concurrence for the above bond release action in accordance with 30 CFR 740.15 (d) (3), and 30 CFR 906.30, Article IX, Section 24, of the State - Federal Cooperative Agreement.