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iii iiuiiiiiiiiiiii 999 TELEPHONE LOG FILE NO.: C-81-020 OPERATOR: Wyoming Fuels DATE: August 8, 1990 ~•~.,~2 ^ C SPECIALIST: ~^ J Cathy Begej PERSON CONTACTED: Gene Dillashaw - BLM - Kremmling SUBJECT: Canadian Bond Release Mr. Dillashaw called August 8, 1990, to ask questions about the Canadian Strip Mine. He had received a letter from Wyoming Fuels asking if BLM, as the landowner of the southern part of the property, would be interested in retention of Ponds 2 and 3 to support the post-mining land use, and if BLM would support a lower woody plant density standard. Mr. Dillashaw had also gone out to the site August 6, 1990 with Dave Cameron and Dave had discussed their upcoming request to eliminate ground water monitoring activities at the site. I reviewed the Division's regulations on permanent impoundment criteria with Mr. Dillashaw and suggest that Wyoming fuels would have a difficult time meeting 4.05.9(1)(b) at Pond 2, which says that the water level would be stable to support the intended use. Mr. Dillashaw indicated that any water storage in North Park would benefit grazing, even if it was of an ephemeral nature, and that he would support Wyoming Fuel's application for permanent impoundment status of Pond 2. He felt that Pond 3 would silt in on its own and that reclamation activities would provide unnecessary disturbance at the site. I pointed out that Pond 3 held little water and had a very small watershed, and that I would support reclamation of that site. He indicated he would consider my recommendation in light of realistic post-mining land use. Mr. Dillashaw was curious about the woody plant density standard. I told him that the area had been identified as critical habitat for sage grouse and the Colorado Department of Wildlife had been instrumental in the establishment of that standard. Mr. Dillashaw indicated that since grazing was BLM's predominant interest at the site they would support a decrease or elimination of the woody plant density standard. I invited him to write a letter stating their support of Wyoming Fuels application to reduce the woody plant density standard. Mr. Dillashaw said that he thought that well abandonment was a criteria for their concurrence with bond release. I suggested that he review their regulations and lease for the site, as I thought Wyoming Fuel was carrying a b10,000 bond for the BLM. I also described the three phases of bond release, and the criteria that were evaluated in each phase. I assured him that°,,Uond for well abandonment would be retained if the Division made an assessment that ground water monitoring should be continued for a longer period of time. The last topic of concern was weed control at the site. I assured him that we would strongly encourage the operator to control weeds throughout the ten-year bonding liability period both to assure achievement of vegetation standards and to manage their weeds according to our guidelines.