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JAMES A. BECKWITH <br />FONTANARI OBJECTIONS AND COMMENTS / SNOWCAP BOND APPLICATION SL -I I / PG. 9 <br />took GPS readings of this depression, and created a survey plat. Photographs of the depression <br />were taken on August 14 and again on August 24, 2018. (Fontanari Exhibit 14) <br />Research has not revealed whether this depression is part of a Surface Water <br />Management Plan designed by Snowcap and approved by DRMS.8 Aerial photos of the area <br />strongly suggest that it is not; there are several culverts, hillside ditches, and the North <br />Decline Water Channel itself that would drain water away from the location of this <br />subsidence. The subsidence does set directly over New Workings conducted by Powderhorn <br />Coal Company during active operation of the mine 1980-2000. <br />Subsidence Event E / Tract No. 70 East <br />Tract No. 70 is the largest tract of the Fontanari holdings, and is located generally in the <br />center of those holdings. (See Exhibit 1.) As relevant to these Objections and Comments, <br />Tract No. 70 has an Upper Plateau (Subsidence F); a Lower Plateau (Subsidence G); and a <br />deep canyon dividing Fontanari and BLM lands. Along the canyon's western rim is the <br />Western Slope Flagstone Quarry, together with Subsidence Event E. <br />At some prior time, a portion of this wall sloughed, or "slumped" from the canyon edge, <br />dumping rock and dirt downslope and creating a bench. (Fontanari Exhibit 15.) There are <br />two benches below the canyon's west rim. Bench #1 is estimated to be 300 ft. in length, 40 <br />ft. wide, and approximately 200 ft. below the canyon's west rim. Bench #2 is approximately <br />100 ft. below the rim, estimated to be 20 ft. in width, and approximately 100 ft. long. <br />Along the rim's edge, and above Bench #2, Messrs. Hernandez and Brock found a line of <br />sinkholes 15 feet from the rim's edge. (Fontanari Exhibit 16.) The comparison between <br />these in-line sinkholes and the 1992 Powderhorn Mine Map is compelling. The in-line <br />sinkholes appear to be directly above a lengthy, north -south line of coal tunnels that collapsed <br />prior to September, 1992, when Exhibit 2 was created. The existence of this sinkhole line <br />supports the concern that another "slump" will occur in the future. The soils along the <br />western rim of the canyon continue to stretch apart: resulting, perhaps, in another future <br />"slump" of the cliff edge into the canyon. <br />Subsidence Event F / Tract No. 70 West <br />Subsidence Event F covers the large plateau lying in the north and western portions of <br />Tract No. 70. Coal mining below this plateau began in the 1880's with access starting at the <br />toe of this plateau and tunnels running south into Tract No. 71 and east under the plateau. <br />GEX began additional workings in 1980, (exhibit 2), followed by Powderhorn Coal Company. <br />8 Fontanari has searched the DRMS website for copies of a Stormwater Drainage Plan but <br />without success. Fontanari agents have requested copies from DRMS officials, but without <br />response. <br />