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Introduction <br />This document presents the findings and proposed decision of the Colorado Division of <br />Reclamation, Mining and Safety ("Division") for a reduction in the inspection frequency <br />of the Arness-McGriffin Mine. The Arness-McGriffin Mine is an underground coal <br />mine where mining activities were most recently conducted under Minerals Program <br />permit 77-3 ug/c, which expired in 1981. The site is located in La Plata County, <br />Colorado, 4.5 miles west of the town of Durango, next to U.S. Highway 160 on the north <br />side of the road. The permit azea is located on private land in the S W'/4 Section 16, <br />T35N, R10W, of the New Mexico Principal Meridian. Coal ownership is state. The <br />permit area encompassed 40 acres, of which approximately 5 acres of land surface were <br />disturbed. <br />Permit History and Mining Operations <br />Minerals Program permit 77-3 ug/c was issued to Arness and McGriffin Coal Company <br />in 1977. In advance of the expiration of permit 77-3 ug/c in 1981, the mine operator <br />submitted an application for a permanent coal program permit (file no. C-81-042). The <br />application for C-81-042 was incomplete and permit 77-3 ug/c expired. The permittee <br />had disturbed 5 acres on the site in preparation for underground mining, but ceased <br />operations prior to excavating a portal and underground entries. The disturbed area <br />consists of an access road that leads to a portal face-up area where the coal seam was <br />exposed. The Mined Land Reclamation Boazd issued a Cessation Order in 1984 for <br />multiple unabated violations, and ordered forfeiture of the $13,750 of reclamation bond <br />that had been associated with permit 77-3 ug/c. (Part of the area encompassed by <br />Minerals Program permit 77-3 ug/c was permitted in 1984 under coal permanent program <br />permit C-84-067, the Coal Gulch Mine.) <br />Reclamation Completed <br />The Division's Inactive Mined Lands Program reclaimed the disturbed azea on the <br />Arness-McGriffin site in 1989 and 1990, using all of the funds from the forfeiture of <br />bond associated with permit 77-3 ug/c. The work was conducted by private contractors, <br />and included backfilling the portal face-up area, replacing growth medium, and seeding. <br />In 2000, the Division had a private contractor regrade the access road and install a post <br />and cable guardrail next to the road in the portal face-up area. No additional funds are <br />available for reclamation or site maintenance. <br />General Stability of Reclaimed Area <br />Generally, the Division's inspections have found no changes on the Coal Gulch site from <br />month-to-month. Other than weeds and localized gully erosion, the reclaimed area <br />appears stable. The site has spazse vegetative cover. Cover includes: rubber rabbitbrush, <br />four-wing saltbrush, yellow sweetclover, western wheatgrass, green needlegrass, rye <br />grass, penstemon, sainfoin, a couple of annual mustard species, Canada thistle, and Musk <br />thistle. An infestation of Canada thistle is becoming established at the top of the <br />backfilled portal face-up area. No slope stability problems have been noted during the <br />