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<br /> <br />Mr. Larry Damrau ~ -4- September 23, 1982 . <br />engineering information, to demonstrate conformance with the requirements <br />of Rule 9.22.3(1)(d) and (e). The applicant has previously indicated to <br />the Division that such design information and engineering analyses were <br />being completed. <br />The incomplete sections listed above must be addressed before the applicant is <br />deemed complete and the review process progresses. If necessary, the Division <br />would be happy to discuss these items in a meeting with representatives of <br />Colorado Yampa Coal Company. <br />Although not a completeness issue the question of federal lands needs to be <br />addressed. The Foidel Creek permit boundary includes lands overlying federal <br />coal. Specifically that portion of the permit area in sections 19, 31, 32, <br />E'~W~f section 30 and the E'd section 32 T5N,R86W. CYCC is not planning to mine <br />the federal coal during this permit term so it is not clear why these areas <br />are included in the permit boundary. The inclusion of these areas ~dithin the <br />permit area may subject the application to a federal review process. To simplify <br />the federal lands issue CYCC should consider eliminating the land above the <br />federal coal from the permit boundary or state clearly in the application <br />the area is included within the permit boundary for surface access to monitoring <br />sites, etc.. <br />During completeness review several issues were identified which will become <br />more apparent during the adequacy review. The application was not reviewed <br />for adequacy but since some items wereidentified early it may be useful to <br />mention the major items at this time. <br />The discussion of probable hydrologic consequences needs to be expanded. The <br />assessment needs to be more quantitative and should include the impacts of <br />mining on the Fish Creek and Foidel Creek stream/alluvial aquifer systems. <br />Both water quality and quantity could be affected. A prudent assessment <br />would involve field investigations, laboratory analysis and the use of modeling <br />techniques. <br />On pages 2.05-50 and 2.05-51 of the application document, the applicant presents <br />a discussion of the subsidence-related aspects of protection of the hydrologic <br />balance. This presentation is inadequate as it exists, requiring more detail <br />and justification for the conclusions presented. The applicant projects limits <br />for overburden caving and fracturing above the extracted coal seam which are <br />significantly less than observations contained in the current technical <br />literature. Further, the applicant concludes that no adverse impacts of sub- <br />sidence upon the hydrologic balance or water rights are anticipated from the <br />planned underground mining activities. <br />The applicant will have to further justify the assumptions concerning extent of <br />caving, fracturing and hydrolyoic impacts. In addition, the applicant should <br />develop a means of verifying projected effects upon the hydrologic balance. In <br />specific, potential hydrologic effects upon tiie "overburden aquifer" and the <br />Twenty-mile Sandstone aquifer should be monitored. <br />