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SECTION 1- MINE STATUS AND HISTORY <br />The Seneca II -W Mine is located approximately 7 miles south of Hayden, Colorado in Routt County. The <br />initial mining and reclamation permit for the mine was issued December 31, 1985, for a 5 year permit term. <br />The permit has been renewed for additional 5 year permit terms three times. The most recent permit renewal <br />proposed decision was issued January 19, 2011, and the Division's basis for the renewal approval is set forth <br />in the Permit Renewal No. 5 (RN -5) Findings of Compliance document, dated December 9, 2010. The <br />current permit term expires December 31, 2015. <br />The Seneca II -W Mine is a largely reclaimed surface coal operation, more specifically a dip -slope area strip <br />mine, which utilized dragline mining methods during active operations. The total permitted area is <br />approximately 3,878.5 acres. To date, the total disturbed area is 1,290.2 acres, including mine pit areas, <br />surface support facilities, haul roads and drainage control facilities. Surface ownership is predominantly <br />private, with right of entry based on a variety of private leases, subleases and easements. The permit area <br />also includes limited areas of federal surface managed by BLM, and the State of Colorado. Coal mined at <br />Seneca II -W was owned by private interest, the State of Colorado, and the Federal government, under lease to <br />Seneca Coal Company. <br />Coal extraction began at Seneca II -W in 1990, and ceased in January 2006, due to a combination of difficult <br />mining conditions and economic factors. Reclamation operations and maintenance activities are continuing. <br />Over the life of the mine, over 12 million tons of coal was produced. Annual production ranged from a low <br />of 376,700 tons to a maximum of 990,300 tons. No further coal production is planned or approved. <br />Reclamation grading, topsoiling, and seeding of mine pit areas was completed in 2007. Narrowing of <br />permanent roads was completed in August of 2011, and facilities areas were regarded in September of 2011. <br />Temporary sediment control structures will be removed upon demonstration that reclaimed areas have been <br />adequately stabilized by vegetation, unless approved as permanent impoundments for the postmining land <br />use. <br />3 <br />