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STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (303) 8663567 <br />FA%: (303) 832106 <br />)LORADO <br />VISION O F <br />INERALS <br />EOLOGY <br />:LANATION•NINING <br />EAfETY•ECIENGE <br />December 1, 2005 Bill Owens <br /> Governor <br /> Russell George <br />Mr. Mike Havens Executive Director <br />Water Uallt Control DIVfS1on <br />Q Y Ronald W Cattany <br />Division Director <br />Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Natural Resource Trustee <br />222 S. 6`h St., Room 232 <br />Grand Junction, CO 81501 <br />RE: November I5-16, 2005 Inspection of the West Elk Mine <br />Dear Mr. Taylor: <br />As previously discussed, the Division of Minerals and Geology conducted an inspection of the West <br />Elk Mine on November 15-16, 2005. This inspection was conducted in response to a phone call we <br />received from Mountain Coal Company on Monday, November 14 2005. We were informed that as <br />a result of a rainstorm that occurred on Saturday, November 12, 2005, an amount of residual fire <br />suppression foam concentrate from empty barrels stored in a "lay-down area" operated by company <br />contractors reached the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek. <br />Our inspection and subsequent investigation found that this "lay-down area" is located in Section 31, <br />T13S, R90W, Gunnison County, Colorado. It is situated on the south side of the Dry Fork, upstream <br />from its confluence with Minnesota Creek and downstream of Minnesota Reservoir. <br />Enclosed is a copy of our inspection report, as well as copy of a December 1 2005 letter from us to <br />Mountain Coal Company regarding how the company is to respond to us on this matter. Please <br />contact me if you have any questions or concerns. <br />Sincerely, <br />-`~~--I"~c l ~ , <br />Daniel I. Hernandez <br />Senior Environmental Protection Specialist <br />Enclosures <br />Cc: David A. Berry, DMG Coal Program Manager <br />Tom Kaldenbach, DMG Environmental Protection Specialist <br />Office of Office of Colorado <br />Mined Land Reclamation Active and Inactive Mines Geological Survey <br />