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<br />~(c ~lr~ G'v rres`vO hGI-~µ~- <br />btltE~ ~ <br />PWDE INS <br />United States Department of the Interior AME=- <br />OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING~ ~ <br />~ ^ <br />. Reclamation and Enforcement <br />Suite 1200 IN REPLYREiER i'O. <br />505 Marquette Avenue N.W. <br />Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102 <br />NOV 1 6 1993 RECFi~~ [;. <br />NOV 18 1993 <br />Mr. Michael Ossola <br />Las Animas County Planning and Land Use Office <br />Cis:i~:~~ c1 !,~.aci::~~ c v:~.c cuy <br />200 East First Street, Room 104 <br />Trinidad, Colorado 81082 <br />Dear Mr. Ossola: <br />This year the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is <br />preparing an evaluation of the performance of Colorado's Division of Minerals and <br />Geology (DMG) regarding the handling of citizen complaints. OSM is the Federal <br />agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior which has been charged with <br />preparing yearly evaluations of DMG's performance with respect to the State's <br />regulations for coal mining, environmental compliance, and reclamation. <br />Colorado's regulations require that DMG investigate complaints filed by citizens <br />who allege problems about coal mining. OSM regards DMG's responsiveness to <br />and handling of such complaints as important indicators of the quality of DMG's <br />required regulatory performance regarding public participation in coal mining <br />issues. The evaluation which OSM is preparing this year will include citizen <br />complaints filed with DMG, or handled by DMG, during the period of July 1, 1992, <br />through June 30, 1993. <br />DMG records indicate that you filed a citizen complaint with DMG in May 1993, <br />regarding windborne coal dust along Highway 12 from the New Elk Mine near <br />Trinidad, and that you were concerned about the combustibility of New Elk's coal <br />stockpile. Also, in November of 1992, you either filed a complaint or forwarded a <br />complaint from a Mr. Charles Baldwin about possible toxic emissions, dead <br />vegetation, and noise associated with an exhaust fan at the adjacent Golden Eagle <br />mine, and that you were also concerned that this fan had no Special Use Permit <br />on file with Las Animas County. <br />~ I have enclosed a questionnaire about DMG's handling of your complaints which I <br />hope you will take a few minutes to respond to and then return to me. Your <br />answers and comments entered on the questionnaire will assist OSM in evaluating <br />DMG's responsiveness to the public. If you need more comment space, <br />IIIIIIIIII III <br />999 <br />e ~ ~~ <br />oWP ym <br />a <br />a <br />c <br />~'''+cH i ~0~ <br />