2015-02-10_PERMIT FILE - M2014045

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,vbraun Braun Environmental, Inc. 355 S. Teller St., Suite 200, Lakewood, Colorado 80226 i February 10, 2015 Tim Cazier Office: 303-988-7697 888- 988 -7697 Fax: 303 -697 -2140 aXolorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) 1313 Sherman, Room 215 Denver Colorado 80203 RE: Mineral Mountain Permit No M- 2014 - 045- Responses to January 15, 2015 Comments Dear Mr. Cazier: I have reviewed your two letters dated January 15, 2015, including the Third Adequacy Review and the final DMO (Designated Mining Operation) letter, and respond specifically below: Stipulation 1 Applicant must submit an Environmental protection plan and pay a fee. Attached is the Environmental Protection Plan (Plan, Surface Water and Well Map(2), and Stormwater Runoff Map(2)). The plan addresses the specific items listed in your January 15, 2015 letter, along with the additional items that you did not include, but are part of Rule 6.4.21, Exhibit U. Writing this plan reminded me of a problem that came up in a meeting last December with a group of Federal people who had to consider climate change with respect to managing range and timberland. As climate change no longer means just climate warming, the group had to consider warming /cooling, more /less moisture, and more /less wind in trying to come up with a management plan. As much as they tried, they were not able to make any useful decisions since no factual data relating to their task existed. I found myself in the same situation in trying to write this plan. As you, Tony, Tom, Lance, and I had discussed, the area encompassed by the permit currently has none of the three conditions that require the production of an Environmental Protection Plan (or 1 l 0(d)), and as a result I have had to make my best guess as to what might be needed if any of the three conditions might somehow show up in the future. Looking specifically at the last paragraph on the first page of you letter, you wrote that "the EPP should address the isolation, control, or removal of potential acid forming and'or toxic materials identified by the Division in the three previous adequacy letters (dated September 8, 2014, October 20, 2014, and January 15, 2015)." Responding to that comment, I don't recall the Division ever finding acid - forming or toxic materials on the site, and for that matter, neither have 1, with the following exception. I was able to carefully hand -pick a very small sample that did contain a small quantity of iron sulfide which is similar to the piece I brought into your office in my pocket and shared with the group back in November. I have not found another, and guess that as long as I leave that little bit of rock in my pocket and do not take it back to Cripple Creek, that fragment has been isolated and will cause no negative environmental issues within the permit area. However, included in the environmental protection plan I drew up, is that if another piece is found, the plan calls for it to be stored inside out of the weather.