2004-04-26_REVISION - M1978056 - Laserfiche WebLink

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provide written evidence of concurrence from the landowner (Doeringsfeld & Aratas Partnership) and from Weld County for zoning of industriaUcommercial use for these particular azeas. Unless written evidence of concurrence is provided, VCI will need to include itemized costs for removal of the aggregate processing plant, the concrete plant, all buildings, concrete foundations, paved surfaces, fuel tanks, and non-roadable mining equipment in Exhibit L -Reclamation Cost. Please respond. Permanent building permits were obtained for this location for existing structwes, including the Concrete Plant, Scale-House, and Shop, as attached. Additionally, these structures were established under the Weld County Use by Special Review Process (relevant portion attached) and specifically provide for these structwes under this modified zoning process. Since the USR can stand alone and apart from the DMG permit, it is the intent of the operator to continue the use of these properties under the existing USR subsequent to the completion of extraction activities and release of reclaimed lands by the Division of Minerals and Geology. For these reasons, the demolition of these facilities under the DMG permit is not a necessary component of the reclamation liability at the location. The landowner's desires conform to this understanding, correspondence of which will be provided under separate cover. 3. The applicant has proposed that extraction will occw to within 25 feet of well heads and facilities, and be backfilled as soon as practicable to create a 100 foot radius azound the well head for future well activities. The applicant has also proposed that excavation slopes be no steeper than 1.25H:1 V and to maintain a minimum 10 foot setback from the crest of the excavation slope and any potentially affected structure. In response to these proposed measures, the Division will require that VCI provide a description of earth moving methods, survey controls, and management measwes that will be applied to asswe compliance with the excavation slope requirements. Specifically, the Division requests that the applicant provide the following items: a) A description, in terms of the mechanics of earth moving, of how the 1.25H:1 V pit slopes will be excavated. b) A description of survey control to be employed to assure that the maximum excavation slope angle is not exceeded. c) A description of management procedures to be used to ensure heavy equipment operators are continuously aware of the excavation slope angle requirement. d) A description of the oil and gas pipelines referenced in the amendment application. In particular, are all of the pipelines within 80 feet of the excavation limits low capacity, low presswe, small diameter flaw lines? Or, are there any high presswe gas lines in the vicinity? If there are high presswe lines, additional protections and monitoring programs may be required. It should be noted that the Division will consider miningat an excavation slope of steener than 1.25H:1 V within 80 feet (two-time the anticipated maximum pit depth) of a structwe, to be a serious violation of the aermit that will initiate an immediate enforcement action.) Since the analysis by Alan Sorenson, we had stability analysis performed by CGRS. The analysis confums that the 1.25H:1 V slopes provide long term stability to within an acceptable safety factor. What should be considered in tandem with this evidence is the empirical knowledge that slopes as steep as O.SH:I V are stable, have visibly evidenced themselves as stable over the nearly 20 years of extraction at this location, and that such stability is also evident in the analysis by CGRS. Since no safety factor could asswe stability over an indefinite period of time for O.SH:I V slopes, we agree that O.SH:1 V slopes should not be left indefinitely along or adjacent to oil and gas Varra Companies, Inc. M1978-056 Durham Sand 8c Gravel Pit - 2003 Amendment - 3 Monday 26 April 2004 reply to correspondence from the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology of 6 January 2004.