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iii iiiriiiiniu iii _- w~=,`~' li~z x/85 State may fine rock miners again 1Mv~ MoMlllon Daily Sentinel Two Moffat County contractors could be penalized a second, time by the state Mined-Land Reclama- tion.Board for violations at a mine they leased southeast of Craig to extract rock Ralph Knez and Frank Levkulich need to post a cash bond with the state ensuring they will reclaim their mine site and need to file a statement guaranteeing they will mine legally. These actions must be taken be- fore Aec. 18 or the board could fine them, said Peter O'Connor, a MLRB reclamation specialist. The board fined Knei and Levku- lich $900 in May Cor mining rock without a permit 'and issued a cease and desist cider. They were told to submit a permit application to mine the site, sign the statement guaranteeing performance and and post thecash sure[y,said O'Conner. "The whole intent of the law is to allow mining to occur but ensure the land is. reclaimed," said O'Conner. He said [he board was scheduled to takr action against the men to- day, but has postponed it because the men's insurance company has assured the state the cash surety will be forthcoming. Heleh Knez, Ralph's wife, said her husband and Levkulich talked to their insurance company "ages" ago, but the company has been slow to meet their needs. Knez and Levkulieh have a 10- year lease on nine acres of land owned by Moffat County.rancher Leon Fedinec. They plan to dig out rock and sell it for riprap. "It was an old, old rock permit and they just reopened it;' said Helen Knez. O'Conner said the two men were found to have operated the mine for 19 days without a permit and lined $100 a day. No mining has oc- curred there since Maya