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July 8, 2004 <br />Rocky Mountain Bank & Trust <br />P. O. Box 579 <br />Florence, CO 81226 <br />La Plata No. 1 Mine <br />C-87-072 (Permit revoked) <br />Special focus evaluation <br />June 22, 2004 <br />Participants: <br />Tom Kaldenbach, Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) <br />Henry Austin, Office of Surface Mining (OSM) <br />I participated in ari Evaluation Year (EY) 2004, special focus evaluation of Colorado <br />bond forfeiture & permit revocation sites. We conducted this same evaluation during <br />EY 2000, and that evaluation found no offsite impacts from this permit revocation site. <br />This EY 2004 evaluation also finds there are no apparent offsite impacts from this site. <br />The above bank that held the mine's bond at permit revocation, and contracted for the <br />completion of reclamation work at this site in lieu of bond forfeiture. Weather conditions <br />were hot and dry, and ground conditions were dry also. <br />Revegetation has been well established here for some years, and there historically has <br />been some minor erosion in a few small areas along the major drainway, just downslope <br />from the reclaimed portal area in the center of the reclamation area. This drainway has a <br />few steep reaches that headcut in the main drain channel ,and have been repaired by <br />various methods (straw bales, honey-comb geo-textile fabric filled with soil, etc.) through <br />the years. This area is essentially stable with the exception of the minor channel <br />headcutting noted here. <br />June 4, 2004, a bond release inspection was held here for the purposes of terminating <br />liability, and DMG jurisdiction at this site. Vegetation sampling has occurred as required <br />by the Colorado Rules, and all public notices of the proposed bond release have occurred. <br />As a result of the bond release inspection, the bank will do some additional channel <br />stabilization work at the main headcut area (where the honey-comb fabric is suspended in <br />air) of the main drainageway described above. The former haulroad reclamation areas are <br />well stabilized and revegatated. <br />We walked over to the old Peacock Mine to observe the bat grates installed at the old <br />mine entries. The grates were secured as designed. This concluded the evaluation. <br />Please address any questions concerning this report to Henry Austin, Senior Reclamation <br />Specialist, at haustin @osmre.~ov or to (303) 844-1400 x 1466. <br />