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~, United States Forest PAONIA RANGER DISTRICT <br />/~~ Department of Service P.O. Box 1030 <br />Agriculture (3031 527-4131 Paonia, Colorado 81428 <br />Reply to: 2820 <br />Date: August 8, 1986 <br />USDI, Office of Surface Mining <br />Reclamation and Enforcement <br />ATTN: Rick Larton <br />Brooks Torers <br />1020 15th Street <br />Denver. CO 80202 <br />Dear Rick: <br />This memo constitutes our response to Wast Elk Coal Company. Inc.'s Mtne and <br />Reclamation Plan Adequacy Response of June 25, 1986. Activities within the <br />proposal fall within the scope of our Initial concurrence regarding SMCRA <br />522(e)(2) and 522(e)(2)(B). <br />We do have some concern regarding protection of the current .and foreseeable <br />water uses rhich are rithln the West Elk Coal Company lease area. We are <br />interested in any activity which could cause loss or reduction of rater at any <br />of these sites. but we believe that short term or temporary loss of stock rater <br />could cause serious damage to livestock permittees in the area. We therefore <br />recommend the following actions or stipulations to mitigate that possibility: <br />1. The map shoring current rater uses (2.8.1.c revised and 2.8.1.g) <br />should be updated annually. (Forest Service Map of Current Water Uses <br />attached.) <br />2. ARCO will monitor subsidence over those panels which underlie current <br />water uses. and monitor those springs/ponds during the period of <br />possible subsidences at a frequency commensurate with risk of water <br />loss during actual and planned seasonal livestock use. <br />3. ARCO rill be responsible for insuring that an approved contingency <br />plan is in place prior to secondary recovery of panels under current <br />water uses. The plan rill detail how grazing permittees' water needs <br />rill be met if subsidence leads to rater loss and tf livestock <br />actually need the rater - either immediately or once they move Into <br />the effected portion of the allotment. <br />With the addition of these stipulations, re concur with mining plan approval <br />terms. <br />Sincerely. <br />r. <br />c~ .. .~ <br />(f 1-tier ~ / ~-EC <br />STEVEN L. POSEY <br />District Ranger <br />Enclosures <br />cc: Forest Supervisor, Grand Mesa. Uncompahgre <br />U~S and Gunnison National Forests <br />""West E1 k Coal Company, Inc. Fs-ezoo~xei~-az~ <br />