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III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
<br />999
<br />STATE OF COLORADO
<br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
<br />Department of Natural Resources
<br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215
<br />Denver, Colorado 80203
<br />Phone: (3031 866-3567
<br />FAX: (303) 832-8106 `DECEIVED
<br />DATE: June 29, 2000
<br />TO: David Berry ~~~J
<br />FROM: Dan Mathews ~~ cf Minerals & Geology
<br />RE: Roadside Mine Reclamation Status and Potential Environmental and Safety Hazards
<br />Permit No. C-81-041, Powderhom Coal Company
<br />The following information is provided in response to the AG's request you relayed, pursuant to the fact
<br />that Quaker Coal Company (parent company of Powderhom Coal Company), has apparently filed for
<br />bankruptcy.
<br />Operational Status, and Reclamation Plan Summary
<br />DIVISION OF
<br />MINERALS
<br />GEOLOGY
<br />RECLAMATION
<br />MINING•SAFETY
<br />Bill Owens
<br />Governor
<br />Greg E. Walther
<br />Executive Dueaor
<br />Michael B. Lang
<br />Division Director
<br />The operational status is essential]}' as described in Ute Febmary l0, 2000, Permit Renewal Findings
<br />Document, with the exception that certain reclamation activity has been performed. Reclamation
<br />performed since that time includes sealing of the North Portals with dirt fill, sealing of Ute Souh Portals
<br />with concrete seals (40 feet inby the portal openings), reclamation of Ute South Fan site including swctural
<br />demolition, shall sealing, and rough grading, and reclamation of the 2-West Portals site including portal
<br />sealing and rough grading. In addition, the shop building at the NoNt Portal area has been dismantled and
<br />removed, and a segment of the overland conveyor swcture benaeen the transfer swcture and the counh'
<br />road north of the river has been removed. Overall, environmental conditions at Ute site at Ule time of In}'
<br />most recent complete inspection (June 1 and 2, 2000) were as good as they have ever been. Drainage
<br />control swclures were all functional and in good condition. All sediment ponds have excess capacity.
<br />Coal refuse area working benches at CRDA-l and CRDA-2 had been recently graded and compacted, with
<br />terrace drains, perimeter ditches, and upland diversions well maintained.
<br />A breakdown of facility areas and disturbance acreages is provided in Table l2-l, of Volume 5 of the
<br />permit application (page land 2 amended 3/13/00, page 3 amendcd 3/29/00). Major facilities are:
<br />Roadside South Mine (acilities (25.9 acres) located at Ute 1-70 Cameo exit, on the noNt side of 1-70, which
<br />parallels the Colorado River through Debeque Canyon. Includes preparation plant facilities,
<br />office warehouse, sealed portals, and the old Roadside Refuse Pile, which has been temporarily stabilized
<br />since the early 1980's,
<br />Roadside North Portal and Surface Facilities (28.3 acres) located approximately ~h mile north of the river at
<br />the Cameo exit, near the mouth of Coal Canyon. Large portal decline and sealed portals, coal handling
<br />facilities, coal stockpile area, parking facilities; storage yard, soil stockpiles, sediment ponds and Ininewater
<br />treatment pond, etc.
<br />Other major facilities include two recently active, partially reclaimed refuse disposal areas in Coal Canyon
<br />(CRDA-1 and CRDA•2), located to the northwest of the NoNt Portal facilities, a Unit Train Loadout
<br />facility and rail spur located north o(the river, a mile or so noNteast of the North Portal area, and the
<br />overland coal conveyor, which nuts from the Souh Portal area to the rail loadout, and includes a tunnel
<br />segment beneath 1-70 and an enclosed, suspended segment over the Colorado River. The North Decline
<br />(18.4 acres), is a former portal location located to the southeast of 1-70 appproximately 1 mile northeast of
<br />the South Portals area. It was regraded and revegetaled in Ure early 1990's. Remaining strnctures are
<br />limited [o sediment ponds and related ditches and berms. Ute Water Company is in process of replacing a
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