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~~!' ~ <br />• , <br />~ C <br />0 <br />.. <br />-,. <br />STATE OF WYOMINp <br />OFFICE OF THE GO~EANOR <br />MACE bUILIVAN CHEYENNE 82002 <br />GOVERNOR <br />October 3, 1996 <br />The Honorable Bruce Babbitt <br />Secretary of the Interior <br />1849 C Street, N.w. <br />Washington, D.C. 20240 <br />Dear Mr. Secretaryt <br />III III III IIIIIII III <br />I am writihq to join Colorado Gov. Roy Romer in expressing <br />concern about the Office of Surface Mining's (OSM) decision <br />regarding reclamation of the Kerr Coal Company mine near Walden, <br />Colorado. while this may initially seem an issue pertinent only to <br />Colorado, I believe OSM's actions have repercussions for coal <br />mining throughout the West. <br />it is my understanding that Kerr's mine reclamation actually <br />won an sward presented by the director of the OSM while on a visit <br />to Colorador the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) determined the <br />post-mine productivity of the land in question was superior to the <br />pre-mining condition; and the Colorado Division of Minerals and <br />Geology (DMG) determined the watershed/drainages in which the mine <br />was located have been restored with so small a change as to be <br />statistically irrelevant. <br />Despite all this, Kerr recently received a Notice of Violation <br />because OSM determined that 1,200 Peet of the 1.9 miles of <br />reclaimed area did not meet the Approximate Original Contour ~- <br />aven though OSM acknowledges there is no environmental harm or risk <br />to public safety Prom the Se million reclamation plan which had <br />been developed with and approved by the Colorado DMC. <br />The issue hers olearly is whether the states are the final <br />decision-makers Por companies conducting b~sinass in our states. I <br />join Governor Romer in asking you to intervene and conduct an <br />independent review on this case. Resolution of this issue is an <br />important harbinger of the Future cooperative relationship between <br />oSM and the states. with best regards, I am <br />Very truly yours, <br />Mike Sullivan <br />MS:scf <br />~~ <br />OCT 03 •9q 1q:gy 3076323909 PFlGE.02 <br /> <br />