2005-08-11_REVISION - M1977526 - Laserfiche WebLink

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STATE OF COLORADO DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY Department of Natural ReSOUrces 1313 Sherman SL, Room 215 Denver, Color~o 80203 Phone: (303) Bfi6-3567 FAX: (303) 8324106 August 11, 2005 / ~ ~ 5 ~,~ Ms. Kathryn F. Cloutier Greystone Environmental Consultants, Inc. ~/ 5231 South Quebec Street Greenwood Village, CO 80111 RE: Adequacy of the Application, Albert Frei and Sons, Worthing Pit, Amendment AM-01, Permit No. M-1977-526 Deaz Ms. Cloutier: COLORADO DIVISION O F MINERALS GEOLOGY AEC IA NATION•NININO SAEFTY•SCIENCE Bill ovens Governor Russell George Executive Director Ronald W, ranany Division Director Natural Resource Trustee The Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) has reviewed the above referenced AM-Ol application and has determined that the following items must be addressed for AM-Ol to meet the requirements of the Mineral Rules and Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board (Rules). 1. Clarification of the post mining land use A variety of potential post mining land uses aze discussed and described in the AM-Ol application, The land uses checked on page 2 of the application form aze residential and recreation, and it is stated in Exhibit E-Reclamation Plan that the site will be reclaimed to mixed residential and recreational land use. If the water bodies at the reclaimed site aze ground water lakes, the DMG would agree with the designation of recreation as a post mining land use. AM-Ol seeks approval, based on the results of future site investigations and approval of a technical revision, of a potential post mining land use including sealed water storage reservoirs. If the water storage reservoirs are approved and constructed, the post mining land use designation would be developed water resource. Also, since future residential use is not reasonably assured at this stage of the project, the AM-Ol application correctly includes a plan for revegetation to rangeland. As a result, upon approval of AM-Ol, rangeland, recreation, developed water resources, and residential land uses would all be approved, but not necessarily required for this site. To clarify, DMG will require bond that is sufficient, and would reclaim the site to recreation and rangeland use in the event of bond forfeiture. If a technical revision is approved for sealed water reservoirs, DMG will require sufficient bond for their construction. Upon the approval of AM-Ol, the Operator will have approval to reclaim the water bodies to recreational use, and to reclaim upland areas to either rangeland or residential use, or some combination of both. The Operator will also have conceptual approval for developed water resources, but must gain approval of a technical revision providing details for the sealed reservoir construction, and must post bond sufficient to construct the reservoirs, prior to implementing the developed water resources use. 2. ReveQetation Plan For more than a decade, DMG has been discouraging the use of Crested Wheatgrass for mined land reclamation. DMG further discourages the planting of annual Winter Wheat as proposed in the AM-Ol application, and considers planting of forbs at the time of seeding at the Worthing Pit would be of Certain changes to the Rules and Regulations became effective on August 1, 2005. Since the AM-Ol application was filed in May 2005, the regulations in place at the time of the filing will govern the AM-Ol application until a fmal decision is made. Office of Office of Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Active and Inactive Mines Geolo¢ical Survev