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iiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiii STATE OF COLORADO DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY Depanmenl of NaWral Resources I l l J Sherman Si., Room 215 ~ Denver, Colorado 80203 ~~~~ Phone: (3031 866-3567 FAX: 13031 8328106 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL February 27, 1995 RESOURCES Ms Ann Tatum Roy Romer . Governo. Law Offices of Jim Tatum and Associates lames S. L«hhead 8703 Bonhomme Execnrire Director HOUS[On TX 77074 Michael B. Long , Division Der«tor RE: Concerns with the Impacts of Mine Exhaust on Vegetation, Basin Resources, Inc., The Golden Eagle Mine, Permit No. C-81-013 Dear Ms. Tatum: On February 13, 1995, the Division received your letter dated February 6, 1995 regazding questions as to whether the air from the Golden Eagle Mine NW-1 Exhaust Fan situated on your property could be impacting vegetation neaz the fan. Specifically you had stated "Carol Tremain with the Colorado Geological Survey has advised me that there is a possibility of damage to plants due to oxygen deprivation in the vicinity of methane exhausts. Please advise if this condition is applicable to our site where the vegetation is dying". The Division has obtained a copy of a letter dated January 25, 1995 sent [o you from Ms. Tremain. Our review of that letter indicates that Ms. Tremain stated that "methane does not pose any toxic hazard [o humans or animals unless present in a confined area in quantities sufficient to cause oxygen deprivation. It can also be explosive if contained in unventilated buildings or mines. There is also a possibility of damage to plants due to oxygen deprivation." We believe it is important to note that Ms. Tremain did not state that "there is a possibility of damage [o plants due to oxygen deprivation in the vicinity of methane exhausts" A review of an October 1994 report co-authored by Ms. Tremain entitled "Coalbed Methane - A Potential Geologic Hazard" finds that on the first page of that report (third paragraph, second sentence), it is stated that "Methane-saturated ground can deprive plant roots of access to oxygen and the ability [o absorb needed nutrients from the soil." As the air from the NW-1 exhaust fan is actually expelled into the air from a point above ground, rather than into or up through the ground, we believe that Ms. Tremain's conclusions address a situation different than the one you raise. Ms. Tremain also provided you a copy of a June 30, 1978 report prepared by the Midwest Research Institute entitled "Impacts of Natural Gas on Drinking Water Quality and Human Health". On page 34 of that report, a paragraph exists entitled "Plant Effects of Natural Gas in Air". We believe the conclusions reached in this section of this report would be more relevant to concerns about impacts to vegetation from mine exhausts than conclusions reached regazding methane-saturated soils. In the 1978 report, it is stated that "Solheim and Ames (1942) exposed several plants to natural gas in air for 72 to 96 hours. Tomato, potato, sunflower, castor bean, and geranium flowering plants were _.,/