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m~-r <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (303) 866-3567 <br />FAX: (303) 832-8106 <br />August 15, 2005 <br />Ms. Tonya Hammond <br />Snowcap Coal Company, Inc. <br />P.O. Box 1430 <br />Palisade, Colorado 81526 <br />RE: Mid-Term Review for the Roadside North and South Portals Mine <br />Permit No. C-81-041 <br />Dear Ms. Hammond: <br />COLORADO <br />D I V t S i O N O F <br />MINERALS <br />GEOLOGY <br />AEC LA NATION•NINING <br />SAf ETY•SCIENCE <br />Bill Owens <br />Governor <br />Russell George <br />Executive DireROr <br />Ronald W. Cottony <br />Division Director <br />Natural Resource Trustee <br />Enclosed is the Division's Mid-Term Review for the Roadside Mine, conducted in fulfillment of Rules <br />2.08.3 and 3.02.2(4). Also enclosed is the Division's mid-term reclamation cost estimate. <br />The mid-term review consists primarily of reviewing the permit application, the findings document, <br />field inspection reports, recent revisions, phased-bond releases, reclamation cost estimate, and the <br />bonding document. The main purpose of this review is to identify any areas of operations or <br />permitting that may be out of compliance with the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act. <br />A technical revision responding to requests contained within Sections III and IV of the document <br />should be submitted within 60 days of receipt of this letter. <br />We have one additional request, apart from the review items included within the body of this midterm <br />review document. It is our understanding that Snowcap Coal Company, Inc. (SCCI is planning to <br />submit a revision application to change the postmining land use in portions of the South Portal Area to <br />Industrial or Commercial. However, the approved reclamation schedule in Figure 14-1 of the permit <br />application requires initiation of the next phase of reclamation in the South Portals Area in the 4`" <br />quarter of 2005. As such, there will not be sufficient time to allow for processing of such revision <br />before initiation of reclamation is required. Please provide a written explanation with appropriate <br />documentation of the status of SCC's efforts to market the South Portal Facility Area property and <br />structures, and a schedule for submittal of the anticipated postmining land use change revision <br />application, by September 12, 2005. If k is SCC's intention to request a delay in the initiation or <br />completion of specific reclamation tasks identified in permit Figure 14-1, please submit such request <br />as a technical revision application, with appropriate justification and documentation, by the same date. <br />Please contact me if you have any questions regarding this-mid-term review, <br />Sincerely, ~~ <br />Daniel T. Mathews <br />Environmental Protection Specialist <br />Enclosures <br />cc: Denver File, w/enclosure rside\2005midterm <br />