GENERAL34308

• Permit No: M1988112
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 6/9/2000
• Doc Name: SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT & STIPULATED ORDER BMGC SAN LUIS PROJECT FACILITY CO-0045675
• From: MERRILL ANDERSON KING & HARRIS LLC
• To: WQCD
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

ME2a:rr...~w'c~-cx, hy.,G & t?..aess. LiC
arrC Rwe`•s •r ~..:.
J. David I-iolG:. ~extor
Colorado R'arc ,~vitiry Cot~l Divisioc
Re: 3atie Moui~ Gold Cam:zuy P:apt~d Ageemen:
lu>r 9. ?C110'
Page 2
BhtGC a .`iii: ;,crtnit allowing ne mine to dischage to the water; of ~e Rito Seco. 'ine draft
discharge perch contains what we be]idvo w be technica defic• a::~'s and is aze subject of
onsoing pub1:= scrutiny and comment. The final pertuit conditio~• :.nd BMGC`s abiIirf to
comply wi:tl gem aze pre;ea:ly unkno:s•'n. As los; as B~1GC co;.:ine~ to discharge pollutant;
W the Ri;o Sec: wi*hout ans Colordo or federal permit whatsoe•:-r. any setdecvai o~ those
',iolatioa: is premature.
Tha -gr2ement does not addross disG;arges to gro~.;rd W8t°r.
In add::ion ro stu;ace water disoi:arges from dte San Luis ?reject to the Rito S:co,
EMGC has is:.harged and condnucs ;o d;'schargc pollutants to °..e ;:Quad wa~wr alluvium in
violation of ~_ CWQCA and the CWA. BMGC and the Colorado Division o` Mi^erals and
Geology hate acl.now!-dgod the rxutatue of a plume of ;round ~.~amr contacinatioa I>eneat>r
the West P::. Ground water frog the West Pit azea migrates urcer,Mnund through the Rito
Seco ailuviuc and thence into 'he surface waters of We Rico Sec; .
It is presentL}• urskaown at what specific :ocatiotu alluvial found water enters the
surface water ~f die Riro Se; o; eoasideri.^.g the lac'; ei knowledge, it seems pnidert w assume
that ground water flows may be itydrolcgically conra^md to the Rite Seco at locations
including some be}rand the property boundazies of rte San Luis Prcject. BMGC's excavation
of ate West Pit now renders it likely that the water of the Precactbrian, Santa Fe and alluvial
agai.`ers aze rte:connxted with the Rito Seco. The Agreement does mt address the
possibility of :atpacts o` ground water contaatinatioa occurring beyond BMGC's own property
boundaries. The Agreement relies only on sampling data cotlec:ed by BMGC at mondtoring
stations locates on rise mine,property itself.
The a;reemert and draft permit fail to identify rite intern! extent of discharges from the
West Pit, 4`te':oundaries of the admitted plume of ;round water ~=onramination, the specific
iocatious of sezpage points along die Rito Seca, or the voititte o: discharges to surface or
ground water. The Sha.',om Ranch has already ^..cperienced and reported to the WQCI) water
quality probers which may 6e associated with contamination from .he San Luis Project,
including scc,:s en the ranch pregerty and corrosion of the ranch s irrigation wells. Without
knowledge a=oat the fundamental hydrogeology of the area, rte :\;*.eement relies upon
speculation a :a conjeoture and fails to demonst:ato that coffer= a fair remed;~ under :,tare and
Federal lau•. \eaher rte settlement agrec:nent :or the dran disc.:3 ;e xrmit :eouires BMGC
co undertake .: ;,o:npre!tensive effort to citaracter'.:e the ground ~~z~.-::a:ntaninatien emanating
from the Vest Pit.