Laserfiche WebLink
The request for Major Permit Modification No. 9 included three elements: <br />UIC Permit Modification Request that provided suggested language of the various sections to <br />be modified, including a new section relating to the Temporary Suspension Of Mining <br />Operations; <br />Revised Subsidence Plan, dated August 2004, to replace the original Subsidence Plan and <br />include modification of the requirements for Time Domain Reflectometry (T'DR); and <br />Revised Ground Water, Surface Water, and Process Monitoring Plan dated September 2004, <br />to include a reduction in the number of monitoring parameters. <br />The EPA has reviewed the above mentioned material and is proposing to modify the Permit as <br />described in this Draft addendum to the Statement of Basis. The following three sections I, II and III <br />provide the rationale for modifications to the Permit. These changes include the replacement of Revised <br />Ground Water, Surface Water, and Process Monitoring Plan (Appendix I) and the Subsidence <br />Monitoring Plan (Appendix J). Background information, original Permit language and proposed <br />changes are discussed below. <br />I. Subsidence Monitoring ; Backi?round and Proposed Modifications <br />At the time the UIC permit was issued, American Soda developed a subsidence monitoring plan <br />with input from the BLM, EPA, and CDMG. The subsidence monitoring plan was incorporated into the <br />EPA UIC permit as Appendix J. Several original monitoring measures have not provided the intended <br />information and benefits, and because those measures aze ineffective and costly American Soda has <br />requested modification of those elements. The primary elements of concern aze related to Time Domain <br />Reflectometry (TDR) monitoring and gamma logging at certain production levels from each cavity. <br />a) Time Domain Reflectometry Monitoring: The existing subsidence monitoring plan calls for <br />the installation of TDR cables in the first 23 of 26 wells in the initial mining panel. The subsidence <br />monitoring plan acknowledged uncertainty about the performance of TDR systems in this application <br />and anticipated evaluating its performance before a final monitoring approach was selected for future <br />mining azeas. <br />To date, TDR systems have been installed in all of the 27 existing wells. The TDR systems have <br />failed in every well in which they have been installed. Heat generated in the well bore during mining <br />and water infiltration into the cables from surrounding aquifers are the primary reasons for the failures. <br />At this point, TDR has been demonstrated to be technically infeasible in this application. Two options <br />for modification aze considered: <br />1) Eliminate TDR monitoring; or <br />2) Install TDR after mining is complete as part of the Plugging and Abandonment <br />procedure. This would minimize the potential for heat associated with active mining to <br />affect the TDR system. <br />American Soda previously proposed installing TDR in We1120-12 and testing the viability of the <br />TDR technology in apost-mining application. Minor Modification No. 8 of the permit addressed the <br />use of wel] 20-12 as a test installation for TDR. Consistent with the failure of the past installations and <br />the ongoing test of TDR post-mining applicability, American Soda proposes to eliminate the <br />requirement for installation of TDR in each well at the time of construction. <br />Draft Addendum to SOB For Modification No. 9, UIC Area Permit No. CO30858-00000 Page 2 oj27 <br />