2003-12-15_REVISION - M1998014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~~~~~ _ STATE OF - COLORADO - T ~TON OF MINER~ILS AND GEOLOGY V ~ 1313 Sherman tit., xrwm : ~ 5 (. (11. l) 1: ,1 I t O Denver. Colorado tSU2U3 nt I N 1. h .~t L ti Phone: 13031 Af,tY3iGi FAX: 0031 A32.81U6 G E O L O G Y December 15, 2003 "' ;.."„r;:°atNCi"` Bud Thompson ~ ~,~o,„,,,x Mesa County Department of Transportation emernx P.O. Box 20000 r,..,;. t~.r~r.~ Grand Junction, CO 81502.5025 +••• ~ ~~ a ~•~• u V ~~~.i 11 IN f do Re: Durant PJG Permit No. M• 1978.325, Surety Re/eese, SL-01, Denial for Full Reclamation L/ebllity Release :,,,, ~.,•,. ~ ~ , .., .. r,,..,.. Dear Mr. Thompson: The Division of Minerals and Geology has concluded the review of Mesa County's request for a full reclamation liability release and permit termination per SL•Ot for the above reference permit. Based on the inspection by staff on 12/09/03 the site was noted as being ready for a release. However, a review of the approved reclamation plan from the 1984 Conversion shows that there is a requirement for 800 trees as well as sumac shrubs at 50 per acre based on a total of 20 acres of disturbed lands. The approved plan does not spell out the number of trees per acre or the acceptable survival rate which is typical for earlier permits. Therefore, staff divided the number of trees by the total proposed acreage to come up with 40 trees per acre. The mixture of pinion, juniper and Douglas fir is also not spelled out although spacing is. Staff feels that based on the surrounding environment, 90% 145% each) of the bare root seedlings should be pinion and juniper and the remaining 10% Douglas fir. Generally accepted survival rates for tree saplings of these species for this area is 55 to 60%. If Mesa County agrees with this assessment than written documentation back to staff will set this as the number of trees and target success rate for later release requests. Staff unfortunately must Inform Mesa County that all reclamation requirements have not been met per the approved plan. Therefore, staff is denving.$L_01_for full_li$bllity_r@lea~~and the telmination of the permit If you need additional information, please contact ma at the Division of Minerals and Geology, Grand Junction Field Office, 101 S. 3rd St., Suite 301, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501, telephone no. 970.241.11 17. Sincerely. j7 / G. Rus/sre/ll Moans Environmental Protection Specialist Cc: Carl Mount, Senior Environmental Protection Specialist. DMG /Denver (e-mail) ~~, , ,, . ,, ,I i. .~ ~~