How do you determine when your disturbance becomes significant?? Options

[realnice]

Hi all, im new to the site. Been prospecting for about 10 years here in Colorado. I hold a few mining claims and am wondering about determining significant disturbance on historically disturbed areas. An area where i have a claim has been logged and mined for a long time and the land shows it. It also has very heavy 4wd use. it is not very pristine at all. One of my claims is visible from the road so recently it has come upon scrutiny by the USFS. there is a 40 ft x 20 ft. worked area. The area is disturbed and is comprised of filled in diggs.
The 228.4 Plan of operations—notice of intent—requirements seem to fit my site as to not have to file a plan of operations, but one stipulation is...
(v) Operations, which in their totality,
will not cause surface resource disturbance
which is substantially different
than that caused by other users
of the National Forest System who are
not required to obtain a Forest Service
special use authorization, contract, or
other written authorization;

If they deem my operation to be causing significant disturbance what can they do? Arent they supposed to inform me to stop and complete a plan of operations? What are my rights here?

How do I appeal a desicion by the USFS?

[realnice]

I have a mining claim that was unfortunately shut down this summer:( All work has been done by hand. The work area is approximately 20ft x 40 ft of filled in digs. My partner was at the site early in the summer when he informed a man that he was digging on a claim. The man was upset because he did not realize that even though he was not digging in the immediate area of operations, he was still digging on our claim. So, he went and got a ranger who immediately asked about the mine and didn't like the disturbance. The ranger said we couldn't tell people they cannot dig??!! Take in mind that we have been digging the site for approximately 3.5 years with rangers driving by and waving as they passed. Yes, the dig site is very visible from the road;Right next to it. This invites lots of claim jumpers who have caused lots of the disturbance. A cease and desist letter was sent and they took 4 months to tell me to put in a POO or pay $2,000 while alluding that I was going to be charged with a crime:0

My question is when is the line crossed between small time mining with only hand tools and significant disturbance? I know that it is compared to disturbance caused by people who aren't required to have a permit. I have seen a few different documents and it seems a little fuzzy. What size area should I request in my POO and can I have multiple work areas? Look at my work area. What kind of bond have people had for this size of disturbance??

Here it is. Thanks for any input or help!