Laserfiche WebLink
PERMIT #: M -1982 -131 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: MAC <br />INSPECTION DATE: February 25, 2014 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />The inspection was conducted by Michael Cunningham of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(Division). Randy Bucklen of Bucklen Equipment Company, Inc. was also present for the inspection. The <br />Bucklen Equipment Co site is located 1 mile north of Greeley, Colorado and is situated on the south side of the <br />Cache La Poudre River. The site is permitted for 77 acres and the post- mining land use is developed water <br />resource. <br />On February 25, 2014, the Division received a notice from the Colorado Department of Public Health and <br />Environment ( CDPHE) Incident Report System. The report was filed by the Weld County Department of Public <br />Health and Environment and stated that a puddle of approximately 200 -300 gallons of bright red liquid was <br />observed on the Bucklen Equipment Company's property. The liquid was observed from Poudre River Trail <br />approximately 1/2 mile south of the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment facility. <br />The Bucklen Equipment Co operates under a 112 Construction Materials Reclamation Permit and the <br />commodity of interest is sand and gravel. The purpose of this inspection was to investigate the reporting of <br />the red liquid and to determine if this matter was within the Division's jurisdiction. Prior to inspecting the <br />Bucklen Equipment Company mine site, the Division walked the section of the Poudre River Trail that runs <br />along the north side of the property. The Division observed the red liquid which had been reported to the <br />CDPHE in an area that appeared to used for backfilling. The Division met with Mr. Randy Bucklen at the mine <br />office; a copy of the CDPHE report was provided to the Operator. Mr. Bucklen indicated that he was not aware <br />of any red liquid on the property. The Division and Mr. Bucklen went to the area of the property where the red <br />liquid was observed. The red liquid covered approximately 100 square feet and was pooled in a small <br />depression approximately 1 foot deep. The red liquid was observed in an area where backfilling is occurring. <br />According to Mr. Bucklen, this portion of the property is being leveled with material that is generated from oil <br />and gas operations. Mr. Bucklen believed that the red liquid was dye that is used in concrete for oil and gas <br />wells; the red dye is used to differentiate between the concrete and drilling mud. Mr. Bucklen stated that <br />Bucklen Equipment Company had not authorized the disposal of the red dye on their property. <br />The Division used a Trimble Juno 3B GPS unit to survey the location of the red liquid (see attached map). As <br />noted above, the Bucklen Equipment Co mine site is permitted for 77 acres. The permit boundary is comprised <br />of three separate boundaries and only covers a portion of the Bucklen Equipment Company property. In <br />addition to mining, Bucklen Equipment Company is using the property for other purposes including accepting <br />material generated off -site for backfilling. Using the GPS data, the Division was able to determine that the area <br />where the red liquid was observed was outside of the mine's permit boundary. The backfill area is located off <br />of the northeast corner of a pre -law pit which has not been mined the current Operator. Since the activity is <br />located outside of the permit boundary and is not directly related to the mining operation, the Division does <br />not have jurisdiction over this matter. Therefore, no problems or corrective actions will be cited as a result of <br />the inspection. <br />This concluded the inspection. <br />Page 2 of 4 <br />