1997-08-11_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1980007

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 8/11/1997
• Doc Name: WEST ELK MINE PN C-80-007 TDN
• From: MOUNTAIN COAL CO
• To: MLR
• Permit Index Doc Type: PUBLIC CORRESPONDENCE
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St.,Room 215
Denver,Colorado 80203
Phone:[phone]�35fi7
FAX:[phone]
DEPARTMENT O
July 1, 1997 NATURAL
RESOURCE
Roy Romer
Larry Mautz Governor
1938 Highway 133 James S.Lochhead
Paonia, CO 81428 ERMmive Director
Michael 8.Long
Division Director
Re : Complaint Letter - Mountain Coal Company - Permit No. C-80-007
Dear Mr. Mautz:
On May 19, 1997, we received a FAX copy of a letter addressed from
you to Kathy Welt of Mountain Coal Company. The letter references
problems for which you are seeking remedy from Mountain Coal
Company. Upon receipt of our copy of the letter, we arranged for
Mike Boulay of the Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) to visit
the Jumbo Mountain area, and the site visit occurred with you on
May 21, 1997 . A copy of the inspection report is enclosed for your
records . During the inspection, it was recommended that aerial
photographs of the area would be useful in assessing ground
conditions . Such photos have since been obtained, and we can now
provide this response.
The May 19 , 1997 letter to Kathy Welt addresses four issues . The
issues as we understand them are : road damage; fence damage; damage
to other structures; and, rockfall at "Muffler Rock" . Based upon
the information available to us at this time, our conclusions are
as follows :
Roads - Road damage on Jumbo Mountain was most recently brought to
our attention by you during 1996, and the damage areas were
inspected last on August 27 , 1996 . Our conclusions were documented
and a copy of the report was sent to you. Based upon the last
inspection, it appeared that the road damage had occurred in areas
of an active and historic landslide; therefore, it was not possible
to conclusively attribute the road damage to mining activity.
Regardless, Mountain Coal Company made arrangements to repair the
roads, but you denied access to the area by letter from you to Phil
Schmidt dated August 5 , 1996 . Mountain Coal Company has renewed
their offer to repair the road damage by letter to you dated June
23 , 1997 . In our letter to you dated August 9 , 1996, we encouraged
you to allow Mountain Coal Company access to complete the repairs,
and we reiterate that recommendation .