GENERAL31787

• Permit No: C1981037
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 11/8/1993
• Doc Name: MEMO M-93-065 ORPHAN PIT CORLEY COMPLAINT INSPECTION REPORT
• From: DMG
• To: MINERALS PROGRAM
• Permit Index Doc Type: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
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Department of Natural Resources t~
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111 3 Sherman St.. Room 215
Denver, CO 60203 '
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Phone [phone] B1
FAX: [phone]
Roy Rome
Governor
M~chael8 Long
To: Jim Stevens, Minerals Program orvit~on orte°or
From: Bruce Stover, Inactive Mine Reclamation Program. K,~--, ~" 1
Date: November 8, 1993
Re: M-93-065, Orphan Pit/Coney Complaint Inspection Report
Dave Bucknam asked me to review the Inspection report you prepared on your visit to Dr
Coney's property in relation to his complaint. After review of the report it is apparent to
me that Dr. Corley has omitted several key circumstances from his version of the issue, and
has portrayed a decidedly different slant to the events than what actually happened.
Attached to this memo is a chronological account of the Pioneer Canon Project to give you
the background of the working relationship I had developed with Dr. Corley during the
drilling work. I prepared this chronology for my supervisors immediately upon learning that
Dr. Corley intended to create a problem. Since this memo was written, additional issues
have come up.
Dr. Corley indicated to you that he had no prior knowledge of nor authorized the removal
of the backfill material nor its use for reclamation purposes on his property. This is not
entirely true. Although we later discovered a discrepancy in the Consent Narrative returned
by Dr. Corley with his consent form which did not specifically mention the backfilling work
in writing, Dr. Corley was verbally informed of the work we intended to do on several
occasions prior to the commencement of the work. Further, in an agreement he entered
into with the Contractor on the afternoon of July 23, he did in fact consent to the work
verbally, and later backed up this consent in writing by cashing the check for the payment
he required for the fill materials.
On the afternoon of July 15, during my normal weekly phone report to Dr. Corley, I
discussed the remaining work to be done the following week, including reclamation of the
drill sites and roads, as well as the bac}d'illing of all the subsidence holes and cracks we had
located or knew of. He did not indicate any problems or concerns with this work plan
during our conversation.
On Tuesday, July 20, I left a phone message with Dr. Corley stating we were in the final
reclamation stages and would be selecting a backfil] source. I stated that we would not be
using any topsoil stockpiles, nor would we disturb any previously reclaimed areas. I left my
field telephone number and asked that he call me. He did not return my call, nor did he