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_ ~ = Western Water & Land, Irlc. / <br />February 26, 2004 <br />-R_ ~ <br />RECEIVED <br />Mr. Steve Shuey <br />Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />Grand Junction Field Office <br />101 South Third Street, Room 301 <br />Grand Junction, CO 81501 <br />FEB 2 7 2004 ~ <br />Division ai Minerals & CoologY <br />RE: Unresolved Problems 1)Toted in Past Inspection Report for Logan Wash Mine <br />(Permit M-77-424) ~/ <br />Dear Mc Shuey: <br />Western Water & Land, Inc. (W WL), agent for Occidental Oil Shale, Ina (OOSI), has prepared this <br />letter in response to the Division ofMinerals and Geology (DMG) letter of January 20, 2004 which <br />concerns unresolved problems noted in a past inspection report at the Logan Wash Mine (Permit No. <br />7724). The unresolved problems include (I) a deficiency in permit records regarding the <br />construction of portal seals and associated hydrologic conditions and how reclamation ofthe <br />evaporation pond will take place and (2) an under-bonded amount of $2,245.00 related to the <br />installation of a temporary passive water treatment cell at the mine as presented in Teclmica] Revision <br />No. 3. <br />ht response to problem number one, W WL has prepared Technical Revision No. 4 - Logatt Wash <br />Mine Reclamation Plan Revisions (enclosed). The purpose of TR No. 4 is to formally present <br />modifications to the reclamation plan that was originally prepared and revised in 1981. TR No. 4 <br />covers general grading and revegetation efforts at the mine as well as procedures to close and seal three <br />open portals and one venfilation shaft. The original plan did not address details of portal or shaft <br />closure. The TR contains specific information on construction of the portal seals and reclamation of the <br />evaporation pond. <br />W WL discussed these reclamation issues with Mr. Gregg Squire (formerly assigned to the Logan Wash <br />Mine permit) ofyour office during the summer 2003 and informed Mr. Squire that a TR was being <br />prepared and that work to reclaim the mine site was progressing. W WL sent a facsimile to Mr. Squire <br />that presented the proposed seed mix for the site reclamation. With Mr. Squire's input, the seed mix <br />was finalized and used to reclaim portions of the mine site in late fa112003. In addition, the reclamation <br />plans presented in TR No. 4 were discussed, and in some instances observed, during a site inspection <br />conducted by you and Mr. Russ Means on September 16, 2003. A copy of TR No. 4 has been <br />transmitted to Mr. Squire along with the submittal fee at the Denver office. <br />With regard to problem number two, the added bond amount of $2,245.00 was apparently not <br />transmitted to the DMG due to an administrdtive error. W WL apologizes for this error However, <br />during the fall of 2003, W WL conducted reclamation of the pilot water treatment site by excavating <br />and removing the treatment cell. The excavation was backfilled and graded with native material that <br />had been stockpile on site. It should be noted that the area where the treatment cell was constructed <br />was previously disturbed (non-vegetated) ground at the terminus of the lower access road (located at <br />the tce area of the lower mine waste-rock pile). The backfilled and graded area covers an area of <br />App/icadons In Eatth Science 743 Horizon Court Suitt 330, Grand Junction, CO 81506 <br />Phone: (970) ?A2-017D Fax: (970) 7A~0270 <br />