2015-03-23_REPORT - M1977424 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Logan Wash Mine Annual Report Permit No. M- 1877.424 within the permit area with an actual disturbance of 113.6 acres. This acreage has been revised to account for subsequent new disturbance and incorporation of the Evaporation Pond (Amendment No. 1) into the permit. See Table 1.0 for a summary of acreage reclamation status. Annual reports have shown since at least 1985 that Area 23, Evaporation Pond and Pipeline, was initially a 14.87 -acre disturbance. The 1985 annual report shows that 5.07 acres of this acreage was reclaimed prior to the report's published date in spring 1986. Table 1.0 shows the Evaporation Pond and Pipeline acreage as Area 23. Table 1.0 also shows the disturbed acreage for the Soil Barrow Area that was added in 2005. Based on this total acreage and reclamation performed, Table 1.0 shows that the estimated actual disturbed acreage was 135.17 acres and of this amount, 61.73 acres are not to be reclaimed because Logan Wash Road is to remain in place for other users and a parcel of land was transferred to Chevron. Historical documentation appears incomplete on the warrantee release of all reclamation areas at the mine. However, site inspections show that some original reclamation areas would readily qualify for warranty release and, in fact, may have been released. In a DRMS warrantee release letter of January, 2006, DRMS states that areas remaining as not reclaimed or released are Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, portions of Area 13, and the Soil Barrow Area. The reclamation status of previously disturbed areas is discussed below. 2.1 Mine Areas Other than roads and the Evaporation Pond and associated retort pipeline, the Lower Bench is the only remaining mine area (Area 1) that is not reclaimed. This area consists of 2.1 acres. This area is currently being used as mine access to monitor hydrological stations and general revegetation progress at other parts of the mine property. In the past, Oxy -WTP (OOGC) has also shown interest in using the Lower Bench as a possible site for the construction of a natural gas well. 2.2 Roads Area 18: Logan Wash Access Road Disturbed acreage associated with the Logan Wash Road or the "tramroad" was originally shown in the mine permit to be 53.43 acres. This road extends from its intersection with Road 45 up Logan Wash to the mine property. BLM records indicate that the original Logan Wash Road right -of -way (COC- 223027) was 58.6 acres and includes all of the Upper Access Road up to the BLM -OOSI property boundary near the intersection of the Upper and Lower Bench Roads. However, the OOSI reclamation plan included the Upper Access Road in Area 13, Miscellaneous Access Roads. Reclamation of the main Logan Wash Road is not planned as this road is used by the public and for energy industry access. However, the Upper Access Road will be reclaimed. The Upper Access Road extends from the main Logan Wash Road to the Research Mine and the intersection with the Upper Bench Road and Lower Bench Road; it is estimated to be 2.9 acres. In the early 1980's OOSI realigned portions of the Logan Wash Road. The realignment took place at several road segments, B 1 through B 10. The estimated acreage disturbance was approximately 6.0 acres. All of these segments except B2, B3, B7, and B8 have been reclaimed and were released in 1986. Areas B2, B3, B7 and B8 have revegetated completely and will be submitted for warranty release in the near future. Western Water & Land, Inc. 2