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:~ . <br />999 <br />111J1'1':;1) :~'1'/~'I'J.'.S ~l:i'Ah'1'lh:ri'1' <I]' ID!1'I'.1t10}! <br />CU'Pl C'I-' (1]' I1~ ;~ 1: I p2('.~; ;~r]I~ ,•I'1'i-,.',~,='. <br />}iF.Arlll'GS DI\/JF701J <br />S11ERIllAN r:N'rJ:RPRIS}.S, :IIJC. , <br />v. <br />T-.opl i rant, <br />Or'F'1CE OF SU}'.FACE L711]ING <br />]-ECL.~'iA'I'JOI4 AND E1QPOr'Cr:i9HNT (nShi) <br />P.cspondc:nt. <br />L~O~'}:h'r NO• DV 9-14-R <br />TFPLJ CA'J'ION }'OF: kEV] }:'W <br />1.U'.I'1 C:F. fiF \'1 c~Ll9' I OIV <br />PlO. 79-~'-1-12 <br />~~.DJSI'.ER <br />The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Fnforccu~ent (OSA1) <br />hereby files the follo\+~ing Answer to the si.atement oP farts a]lr-grd <br />by the Applicant Sheric]an Bnterpriscs, Inc. (S13I) <br />1. It .is admitted that SEI hz~s L~cen conducting operations <br />on leased foderal coal deposits at its h1cC]ane Canyon site, <br />Garfield County, Colorado, since In:ior to the effective date of <br />SAICRA and that such operations \+~ere conducted under the authoriCy <br />of a plan aonreved by the United 6tates Gcolog.ical Survey approved <br />in 1976. It is denied that such operations are or \:~ere "e::p]oratior. <br />operations" within the meaning of that term as used in any appli- <br />cable statutes or reeulations. Such one.rations aie "surface coal <br />mining operations" as defined in the Surface Coal 1~lining Control <br />and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCP.A), ~ 701(28), because such oper- <br />ations involve the extraction of coal. A letter from the Gco]ogi- <br />cal Survey making this conclusion and terminating the e:;isting <br />b approved plan effective September 22, 197E is attached hereto <br />and incorporated herein. <br />2. Admitted. <br />3. OShi has no information or }:no\;lecige by '~+'hich it can <br />determine the truth of SEI's allegations re,arding.r_onununications <br />with Various acencies oiher than OSbi. OSi•i denies ti~at 5rI has <br />conducted its McClane Canyon operations in comp]iance with all <br />applicable regulations. OSM denies that the USGS has continua]ly <br />treater the A]cClane Canyon ol,eratlOn .as an oYn]Orat]en o:erat~en. <br />~ See attaci~ed USGS letter to SEI. <br />