2008-02-11_PERMIT FILE - M2008002 ‎(5)‎

• Permit No: M2007036
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 1/30/2008
• Doc Name Note: Summary and Status
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
COLORADO
DIVISION O F
RECLAMATION
MINING
- &-
SAFETY
DATE: January 30, 2008 Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
TO: Ron Cattany; DRMS Director Harris D. Sherman
David Berry; Interim Director; Office of Mined Land Reclamation Executive Director
Ronald W. Cattany
FROM: Erica Crosby Division Director
Natural Resource Trustee
RE: Monroe Excavating, Inc.; Monroe Excavating Deadman Pit; Permit #M-2007-036
Summary and Status of the Mine
On August 12, 2007 the MLRB found Monroe Excavating LLC to be in violation for mining without a permit.
The sand and gravel site is approximately 3.8 acres and is located in Red Feather Lakes, Larimer County. The
MLRB ordered Monroe Excavating to obtain an 110c Mining and Reclamation Permit, and pay civil penalties
in the amount of $3,700.00.
On December 10, 2007 the Division issued the 110c Construction Materials Permit to Monroe Excavating with
the posting of the $137,600.00 financial warranty. Two adjacent property owners appealed the Division's
decision to approve the 110c Permit. The Appellants are the Archdiocese of Denver and Ed and Judy Seward.
The appeal will be before the MLRB at the February 13-14, 2008 hearing.
The main concern from the Archdiocese of Denver is the stability of the church in relation to the adjacent mine
site. The pit is approximately 30 feet from The Lady of the Lakes Catholic Mission Parish. The three
independent stability evaluations conducted by Monroe Excavating (Smith Geotechnical Engineering), the
Division (Allen Sorenson of DRMS) and the Archdiocese of Denver (Terracon) all concur that the slope
adjacent to the church will be stable with the recommended backfilled slope of 2h:ly. As noted above, the area
was mined illegally so obtaining 2h:ly slopes will require a combination of grading the highwall and importing
and compacting backfill.
The slopes are currently 1 t/zh: lv, as noted in the report provided by Terracon dated January 4, 2008. As a
stipulation to the 110c Permit, Monroe Excavating has until March 1, 2008 to reduce all pit slopes to the
proposed configuration (however, this date may need to be extended until weather conditions allow for backfill
and compaction of the slope to achieve 2h:lv). The Division imposed a second stipulation to the permit
requiring Monroe Excavating to annually inspect and document the angle of all pit slopes and report the
findings in the Annual Reclamation Report.
During the Pre-Hearing meeting it was noted that Mr. Seward and the Archdiocese of Denver have no
confidence that Monroe Excavating will maintain the slopes as required for the life of the mine. They have
requested that this site be inspected quarterly by the Division to ensure that slopes are maintained and the
adjacent structures are protected. The Division agreed to inspect the pit slope configurations this spring, but
feels that quarterly inspections thereafter is unwarranted. Once the 2h:ly slope is achieved adjacent to the
church, no further mining can take place in that area. Annual reporting by the operator and the routine
inspection by the Division should be sufficient to ensure compliance with the slope requirement.
cc: Carl Mount; DRMS
Allen Sorenson; DRMS
Office of
Office of Denver Grand Junction Durango Active and Inactive Mines
Mined Land Reclamation