APPCOR12146 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• ~ III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII United States Department of the Interior OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING Reclamation and Enforcement DROOKSTON~ERS ~I~ ~~-~, _. a., ._ 102015TFISTREF_T ,'s,~,G~m_.,;". UENVER, COLORr1D0 80202 OFFiOE OI"PH F. REGIONAL DIRF,GTOR Sames D. Asher, President Sunflower Energy Corporation 770 Grant Street, Suite 228 Denver, Colorado 80203 Dear Mr. Asher: DEC 5 1980 SEC - ~ ~sao MINED LA\D R:~LP^,~,^ i'~,j Colo. Dept. of IJdwral r?eso~r~es This office has prepared an apparent completeness review of the Blue Ribbon mining and reclamation p.1an which was submitted on October 27, 1980. Tliis plan includes expansion of the Hlue Ribbon 14ine into Federal coal. The review (see attached) was conducted under the OS~1 Permanent Program regulations. Numerous deficiencies have been identified and will have to be corrected before this office can commence a technical-envirunmental analysis oF. this new mining and reclamation plan. I should note that th.ts review does not contain comments from the L'. S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Bureau of Land Management, or the U.S. Forest Service. As soon as these agencies' comments are available, I will forward Chem to you. I should also note that after we commence our technical'environmental analysis, we may identify additional deficiencies. As of this date, we have no[ received a request from U.S. Steel to consider Sunflower Energy's mining of the "E" seam in Section 35 as a crgdificatL~n to U. S. Steel's existing mining and reclamation plan fer the Somerset Mine. We have discussed the appropriateness of this approach with [he USGS, and we envision no problems as long as a formal request is received from U.S. Steel. I[ is my understanding that Sunflower Energy has discussed this with U.S. Steel and that a request from U.S. Steel for a modification to its present plan is expected shortly. I believe that such a request could be handled as a minor mod ificattun and therefore acted on at the Regional level since the action would include mining within an area covered by a mining plan under 30 CFR 211. In addition, since no change in surface facilities or production rate is associated with this modification, we would focus our review on any surface impacts that might result from mining of the Federal coal (i. e., the potential impacts of subsidence on surface resources). I have noted by asterisks in the attached completeness review those deficiencies which would have [o be addressed if a request for modification is received and our analysis takes a more limited focus. I emphasize Chat the Cotal list of deficiencies identified in attachment (and any other deficiencies to be identified by other Federal agencies or the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division) must he addressed in Sunflower Energy's upcoming permit application under the approved Colorado State ... .. .. .. .. . -- ......z, .