ENFORCE21839

• Permit No: C1981019
• IBM Index Class Name: Enforcement
• Doc Date: 4/27/1995
• Doc Name: COLOWYO COAL MINE C-81-019 NOV C-95-005
• From: DMG
• To: MIKE LONG
• Violation No.: CV1995005
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Department o! Natural Resources
131 3 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
DATE: April 27, 1995
TO: Mike Long ~
FROM: Erica Crosby`~U"
II~~~
DEPARTMENT OF
NATURAL
RESOURCES
Roy Romer
Governor
lames 5. Lochhead
Etecutive Director
Michael B. Long
RE: Colowyo Coal Mine (C-81-019) Drvismn Director
NOV C-95-005
The Division received Colowyo's request to vacate NOV C-95-005
April 24, 1995. I believe the NOV is warranted and recommend that
you deny their request for vacation. Below is a brief outline of
the violation and reasons for upholding the violation.
The Division wrote Notice of Violation (NOV) C-95-005 to the
Colowyo Coal Mine (C-81-019) on March 29, 1995 for failure to place
topsoil on a stable surface area within the permit area 4.06.3(2).
The violation was modified on April 6, 1995 to include failure to
have stable perimeter slopes on the West Pit Pond 4.05.9(6). The
violation applies to the topsoil pile that slid into the West Pit
Sediment Pond. It appears the toe of an unstable area was removed
during construction of the pond, a topsoil stockpile was placed on
top of the unstable area, and the slope failed when it became
saturated.
Jim Kiger and Juan Garcia were present during the inspection. Jim
Kiger stated that the topsoil pile slid 3 weeks before the
inspection was conducted. Abatement of the NOV basically requires
Colowyo to keep the water level in the pond down, monitor the slide
for movement, remove the topsoil when conditions allow, and make
any necessary repairs to the pond. The NOV has not yet been abated
due to wet ground conditions.
I have a few comments regarding the letter submitted by Colowyo and
reasons for not vacating the violation. The comments are as
follows;
Colowyo makes reference to the Division handling of a slide
that occurred on June 5, 1985 on the haul road. A few items
to point out regarding the haul road slide;
a. Colowyo notified the Division when the road slide
occurred by phone and letter.
III III I "III
STATE OF COLC~i~DO