1993-06-08_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981041

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A letter from the surface landowner, Pitkin Iron Corp. , has been submitted and is included in the permit as Appendix DDD-l . Portions of this road lie on Federal land controlled by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) . The portions of the road that lie on BLM land need concurrence from the BLM before the DMG approves their retention. II . Hydrologic Balance - Rule 4.05 A. Water Quality Standards and Effluent Limitations Receiving stream standards for the Lower Colorado River have been set by the Colorado Department of Health in their publication "Classification and Numeric Standards for Lower Colorado River Basin. " The Colorado River at this point is within segment 2 of the Lower Colorado River sub-basin and basin and Coal Creek is within segment 4 of the Lower Colorado River sub-basin and basin . Colorado Department of Health ' s NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit limitations on discharge, the permit' s discharge standards and the Division' s standards for determining material damage to the hydrologic balance ( "Division Procedures for the Assessment of Material Damage with Respect to Alluvial Valley Floors , the Cumulative Hydrologic Impact Assessment and Subsidence at Coal Mines") are based , in part, on these standards . The Roadside and Cameo Mines ' standards for discharge are listed in Table 2.05.6 A of the permit application. The mines ' baseline water quality data is found in Section 2 .04.7 of the permit application. The Roadside and Cameo NPDES permit restricts the mines to, among other things , the discharge of not more than one ton per day or 350 tons per year of total dissolved solids , whichever is less . The Roadside and Cameo Mines are in exceedance of this discharge limitation, primarily due to mine water discharges . As a result, Powderhorn Coal was required by the Colorado Department of Health to prepare a report outlining how they can reduce the mines ' contributions of salt to the Colorado River and the economic costs for doing so. This report has been completed and is entitled "Evaluation of Alternatives for Management of Salt in Mine Water Discharges : Roadside and Cameo Mines ; Powderhorn Coal Company; Palisade, Colorado. " The Colorado Department of Health is currently reviewing this report and evaluating the technologic and economic feasibility of possible treatment systems . Additional Findings : 1 . Most disturbed-area drainage passes through one of nine existing or one proposed sediment ponds . Discharges from these ponds are monitored to verify compliance with water quality standards and effluent limitations (4.05.2(2) ) . 2. The Division granted small area exemptions from the use of sediment ponds due to the limited size of the areas in question and due to the fact that ponds and treatment facilities are not _18_