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• ~ III IIIIIIIIIIIII III <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br />Department o(Narural Resources <br />13 f 3 Sherman St., Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 D I V I S I O N O F <br />Phone: 1303) 86n-3567 MINERAL 5 <br />FAX: (3031 A32~tI106 & <br />GEOLOGY <br />REC LA MAiION <br />March 19, 1999 MINING•SAFETY <br />Anthony Dix Bill Owens <br />Governor <br />P.O. Box 657 Creg E. Walther <br />Hotchkiss, CO 81419 Executive D~reaor <br />Michael B. Long <br />RE: Bowie No. 2 Mine, Federal Coal Leases and Right-of-ways Division Director <br />Dear Mr. Dix: <br />Thank you for your letter commenting on the Bowie Coal Company's efforts to obtain a federal <br />coal lease and aright-of-way into federally owned coal. I would like to assure you that our office <br />is working closely with the U. S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Bowie Coal Company <br />in regard to the company's plans to mine federally owned coal. The BLM is the federal <br />government agency charged with managing and administering federal coal leases. Our office is <br />a state agency which issues mining and reclamation permits. We are not involved in the coal <br />leasing process, other than to the extent that we can provide information requested by the BLM. <br />Bowie Coal Company has submitted and is preparing applications to our office for revisions of <br />their State mining permit to address mining in federal right-of-way and lease areas. We are <br />currently reviewing some of those applications. We will review those applications to ensure that <br />the mining plans meet the requirements of the laws and regulations applicable to Bowie's mining <br />permit. Our office's decisions to approve or deny proposed mining plans are based solely on <br />whether those plans comply with the applicable regulations. <br />I have enclosed a brief description of the role our office plays in permitting coal mines in the <br />North Fork Valley. The enclosure also includes a short explanation of how the public can <br />become involved in our permitting process. If you wish to submit comments in the future or, if <br />you have any questions about the Division and coal mine permitting in the North Fork Valley, feel <br />free to contact me or Joe Dudash at the phone number or address above. <br />Sincerely, <br />Larry P. Routten <br />Senior Environmental Protection Specialist <br />Enclosure <br />M.1coa IUpr1080899.doc <br />