REV98968

• Permit No: C1980004
• IBM Index Class Name: Revision
• Doc Date: 1/18/2001
• Doc Name: MCCLANE CANYON MINE PN C-1980-004 PERMIT RENEWAL APPLICATION 5 RN-5
• From: DMG
• To: USFWS
• Type & Sequence: RN5
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Department of Natural Remurces
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
]anua[y 18, 2001
DIVISION OF
MINERALS
GEOLOGY
RECLAMATION
MINING•SA FE TY
' gill Owens
Assrstant State SUpen750r Governor
Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Greg E. Walther
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Executive Director
Michael B. long
764 Horizon Drive, SOUth Annex A Division Director
Grand Junction, CO 81506-3946
RE: McClane Canyon Mine (Permit No. C-1980-004)
Permit Renewal Application No. 5 (RN-5)
Dear Srr or Madam:
The Division of Minerals and Geology hereby issues notice, in accordance with Title 34, Article 33, Section 118,
Paragraph 3, of the Colorado Revised Statutes, that on January 18, 2001, an application to renew an existing
permit to wnduct coal mining operations at the McClane Canyon Mine was wnsidered complete for the purposes
of filing. All review and comment periods as provided in the Colorado Surface Mining Reclamation Act and the
Rules initiate firm this date of Sling.
Lodestar Energy, Inc. proposes to continue underground coal mining and reclamation operations on land located
approximately 20 miles North of Loma, Colorado. The permit area is further described as follows:
All or portions of Sections 15, 16, 21, 22, 27, and 28, T7S, R102W, 6th PM, all in Garfield County.
The above-mentioned tracLS of land aze shown on USGS 7.5-minute Howazd Canyon and Garvey Canyon
Quadrangle maps. Permit azea habitat includes sagebrush and greasewood vegetaton at the lower end of the
ephemeral McClane Canyon Drainage, with pinon juniper woodland on the uplands, shadscale shrubland on steep
south slopes, and mountain shrub vegetation at upper elevations. Permitted disturbance is limited to 9.5 acres,
including a small office area at the mouth of McClane Canyon, with the mine portal facility located several
hundred yazds farther up the canyon.
The permittee has tiled for successive renewal of Pemrit No. C-1980-004, for the McClane Canyon Mine. The
current permit expires July 6, 2001. The application, if approved, would grant a renewal permit for an additional
5-yeaz pemrit term. The application does not propose additional surface disturbance beyond the acreage currently
approved. Further, the application does not propose any increase in coal production, increase in projected water
depletion, or signiScant modification of the currently approved mining and reclamation plan for the existing
underground mine.
In order for us to approve this renewal, we are required to make a finding that "the activities would not affect the
continued existence of endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of
their critical habitats as determined under the Endangered Species Act of 1973...." We request your review and
recommendation pursuant to this fmding, and a copy of the currently applicable T&E species list. Please contact
me at [phone], if you require additional infom3ation.
sss r
STATE OF COLORAD~OO~~ ~"'
In order for us to comply with regulatory time frames, we request that comments be submitted to the Division of
Minerals and Geology at the above address by on March 18, 2001. If no comments aze received by this date, we
will proceed on the assumption that your agency has no concerns with or objections to the applicant's proposal.