REV12801 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

POST MINING LAND USE 1) The premining land use as stated in the permit application was rangeland suppporting big game (deer and elk). The post mining land use will be rangeland and wildlife habitat. There are many areas on the Mt. Gunnison property as well as surroundin areas where slopes exceed 2 to 1 which are classified as rangeland and wildlife ~abitat. Big game as well as livestock do not limit themselves to slopes less than 2 to 1. Rangeland and wildlife habitat is therefore, an appropriate post-mining land use for the refuse pile. ROADS -RULE 4.03 1) A request for a written reply for West Elk Coal Company (WECC) to obtain a variance to conduct operations within 100 feet of a public highway from the CMLRD as well as discharge runoff to the Colorado Department of Highways drainage system was submitted to the Department of Highways on January 28, 1986. An application for a change of location of the Sylvester Gulch Road highway access (State Highway 133) was also submitted on January 28, 1986. A copy of West Elk's request as well as the access change application were forwarded to the Division. A public notice which required a written request for a public hearing was published February 27, 1986. No comments or requests were received. The public hearing, scheduled for March 14, 1986 was cancelled. The request letter to the Colorado Department of Highways, the CDOH's reply, and the access relocation permit are attached. • 2) The Sylvester Gulch Road is owned, in the area currently being permitted for refuse disposal, by West Ells Coal Company. The road is not a public road nor does the public have access to the road. There are no easements for access through the property described in the deed to the property. Since the Sylvester Gulch Road is owned entirely by West Elk Coal Company and will be relocated on property owned by West Elk Coal Company, the Sylvester Gulch Road relocation does not require a public hearing as stated in Rule 2.07(2) (d) (iv). 3) That section of the road in which the "bin wall" structures were originally contemplated has been redesigned in connection with the permit submission for the temporary waste pile (submitted and approved earlier). The original design involved maximum grades on the order of 10%. The new design contains a short section with grades reaching 16% but still meets all the requirements of Rule 4.03.1(3) (a-c). Specifics of the design will be found on Sheet No. LWP-019 accompanying these responses. Since the retaining structures have been eliminated by this design, a specific design/construction schedule has not been prepared. J