2003-12-11_REVISION - M1998014 (2)

Home Browse Search

1,~~~~~~ _ STATE O_ F COLOR_ ADO DIVISION OF MINERALS ANU GEOLOGI' // Urnarmcru of \arwal Rrsourres 171 7 Sherman Sr_ Reom 21 S Ocmrr, Colorado 80203 L~ l) )- l> IZ A 1) v ntsion ~,! Phone: 130 31 866-7 567 .bl l N ~ fl t1 ~ S FAX: 1303! 832.8106 Q. GEOLOGY December 15, 2003 ~,~,~„.,,o,;.„,,,,.,, t.n+.•uv~cr Bud Thompson Mesa County Department of Transportation ~ °''1O^' Gosvm P.O. Box 20000 Grand Junction, CO 81502-5025 cal! '~ ' Re.• Durant Plt, Perm/t No. M• 1978-325, Surety Re/ease. SL-01, Denial for Full Reclamation Lrab//ity R~oatelr ~~ ~,, Dear Mr. Thompson: The Division of Minerals and Goolo~)y nes cor.cluued th.a rev,e~.v of Mesa County's rcvuest fora `all reclamation liability release and permit termination per SL 01 for the above reference permit. Based on the inspection by staff on 12/09.+03 tho situ was noted as being ready for a release. However, a review of the approved reclamation plan from the 1984 Conversion shows that chore is a requirement for 800 trees as we'I as sumac shrubs at 50 per acre based on a total of 20 acres of disturbed lands. The approved plan does nrrt spell out the number of troos per acre or the acceptable survival rate which is typical for earlier permits. Therefore, staff divided tho number of trees by the total proposed acreage to come up with 40 trees per acro. Tha mixture of pinion, juniper and Douglas fir is also not spelled out although spacing is. Staff feels that based on the surrounding environment, 90% (4596 each) of the bare root seedlings should be pinion ar•.rt Juniper and the remaining 1096 Douglas fir. Generally accepted survival rates for tree saplings of theso species for this area is 56 to 60%. If Mesa County agrees with this assessment then writton doc.,inrr,r.,,uc~ , back io staff will set this as the number of trees end target success rate for later release requests Staff unfortunately must inform Mesa County that all reclamation requirements have not boon met nor ;ne approved plan. Therefore, sta is danv_ina SL_01 for full lia-~ilis ry e1@r~ and ~he_termi~tio_n_of_She pem,~l If you need additional information, please contact ma at the Division of Minerals and Geology. Grand Junction Field Ofiico. 101 S. 3rc1 St., Suitr, 301. Grand J..nc;ion. Colorann 81501. <.e!opnone nc 970.241.1 1 17. Sincerely, ~/ G. Russell Means 1~~~ Environmental Protection Speciaost Cc: Carl Mount, Senior Environmental Protection Specialist. OMG ; Denver to-may! Office of Office of Coknadn Mined land Recltmstion Active and Inatrlve Mines Geologicsl Survey