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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) 866-3567 <br />FAX: (303) 832.8106 <br />February 24, 2006 <br />Carl Johnston <br />Office of Surface Mining <br />Western Regional Coordinating Center <br />PO Box 46667 <br />Denver, Co 80201-6667 <br />Re: Oxbow Mining LLC (Permit No. C-1981-022) <br />Elk Creek Mine <br />Technical Revision 53 - l5 Gob Vent Boreholes <br />Deaz Mr. Johnston, <br />OLORADO <br />( V I S I O N O F <br />IINERALS <br />EOLOGY <br />CLANATION•NININO <br />SAFETY•ECIENCE <br />Bill Owens <br />Governor <br />Russell George <br />Executive Director <br />Ronald W. Cattany <br />Division Director <br />Natural Resource Trustee <br />I would like to follow up with some information regarding Oxbow Mining LLC's (OMLLC) submittal and the <br />Division's subsequent approval of Technical Revision 53 (TR-53). TR-53 permitted OMLLC to drill 15 gob vent <br />boreholes (GVB) within their permit area. The revision was submitted by OMLLC on 27 July 2005, called complete on <br />6 August 2005 and approved on 30 September 2005 (after receiving final BLM approval on 29 September 2005). <br />The revision allowed for the drilling of 10 GVB on US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) owned surface, two GVB <br />on OMLLC owned surface and three GVB on privately owned surface (the Hotchkiss Ranch). The Division sent out <br />all required notifications on 6 August 2005, after calling the revision complete. These notifications included letters to <br />government agencies with various jurisdictions over [he mining activities. Of particular interest for TR-53 was the <br />letter sent to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) requesting comments on the proposed revision. <br />The Division received the USFWS response letter dated August 19, 2005 explaining their consultation policies. The <br />Division forwazded the USFWS letter to OMLLC. Aware of the threatened and endangered species issues surrounding <br />mining operations, OMLLC had already contracted to have a block clearance study completed for their permit area. <br />The study was completed in August 2005 and is titled "Oxbow Mining, LLC Elk Creek Mine Block Clearance Project". <br />The project and report were completed by Monarch and Associates and Michael Ward Outdoors. Copies of this report <br />were sent to the Division, BLM and a courtesy copy was sent to USFWS. <br />In an effort to ensure that the USFWS consultation is completed, we are sending OSM a copy of the block clearance <br />report. The report provides a thorough assessment of potential impacts to the listed and proposed threatened and <br />endangered animal and plant species. Please let us know if further consultation with the USFWS is necessary. <br />Please contact me a[ 303-866-4927 ifyou need any additional information or have any questions. <br />Sincerely, <br />Sandra L. Brown <br />Sr. Environmental Protection Specialist <br />enclosure <br />cc: Jim Stark w/out enclosure <br />Office of <br />Mined Land Reclamation <br />Office of <br />ARive and Inactive Mines <br />Colorado <br />Geological Survey <br />