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aCOLORADO <br />Division of Reclamation, <br />Mining and Safety <br />Department of natural Resources <br />February 25, 2021 <br />Mr. Tony Tennyson <br />Elk Ridge Mining and Reclamation, LLC <br />5731 State Highway 13 <br />Meeker, CO 81641 <br />Re: New Horizon Mine C1981-008, TR101 <br />Preliminary Adequacy Review <br />Dear Mr. Tennyson: <br />The Division has reviewed ERMR's submittal of Technical Revision No. 101 (TR101) for the <br />New Horizon Mine. The Division agrees with the operator that the AHRs are generally sufficient <br />for a demonstration of the need, or lack of need, for particular monitoring locations. <br />The Division concurs that Wells GW-N16P1, GW-N17P1, and GW-N18P1 are no longer needed, <br />since the upgradient area, with the exception of an approximately 3 acre parcel or reclaimed haul <br />road and stock pond, has achieved final bond release and has been removed from the permit <br />previously. <br />The Division agrees that Wells GW-N41, GW-N42, and GW-N43 are no longer needed, because <br />they are upgradient wells, and historical data can generally be used for comparison to <br />downgradient data for the purposes of AHRs and bond release applications. Also, Tri-State <br />states that these are redundant given the fact that Wells GW-N36, GW-N37, and GW-N38 can be <br />used for upgradient data. The Division agrees with this statement, and (as an example of the <br />similarities) we note that total recoverable iron concentrations were steady in all of these wells <br />for most of the period of record, but in recent years the data indicate large increases for GW- <br />N36, GW-N38, GW-N41, and GW-N43. <br />The Division agrees that Well GW-N3 is not necessary to characterize the impacts of mining, <br />and can be removed from the list of monitoring sites. <br />The Division agrees that surface monitoring site SW-N104 is not needed to characterize mining <br />impacts on Tuttle Draw or other receiving waters. ERMR is requesting to discontinue <br />monitoring surface water site SW-N104 on the CCC ditch. DRMS agrees that regular <br />monitoring is not necessary. However, monitoring of the water quality at SW-N104 one water <br />year prior to final (Phase III) bond release may be needed for the Division to make the <br />appropriate findings regarding surface water impacts. The need for monitoring of SW-N104 <br />flF'�010 <br />n O <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215, Denver, CO 80203 P 303.866.3567 F 303.832.8106 http://mining.state.co.us <br />Jared S. Polis, Governor I Dan Gibbs, Executive Director I Virginia Brannon, Director <br />'f 1876 �` <br />