1993-11-05_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981038

Home Browse Search

rHmM INCA TREAS TO 12494304 P.01 P.O, Box 6 • eptem CO 0, 19 September. 30, 1992 Allan Belt Umcompaghre Basin Resource Area Manager 2505 S. Townsend Montrose, CO 81401 Dear Mr. Belt: As President of the Stucker Mesa Domestic Water Company I wish to express some concerns about the Cyprus orchard Valley Coal lease application. The Environmental Analysis o-92-34 appears to deal only with the extension of the lease to add the 120 acres lying along the northern boundary (Cyprus Orchard Valley Corp. Coal Leaase Application COC 53356) . However, there is also a proposed extension into the previously delineated "buffet zone" in Application CDC 37210M, as indicated on your "Map 3". It is this area about which we are concerned. The west boundary of the original coal lease tract was delineated in order to avoid the Long Draw Drainage specifically • because of the domestic water springs located there. The angle of draw dictated a set-back of the boundary from the spring which was identified as an "item of public concern" in lease COC 37210, This spring is located at approximately the intersection of sections 15 and 16, 9 and 10. The water from the spring originates at an unknown depth. Subsidence could interrupt the flow of the spring, and possibly of the other springs belonging to the Stucker Mesa Domestic water Company located farther down the draw. These springs supply domestic water to the whole of Stucker Mesa. No other source of domestic water is available for the 20 families residing there. Lease COC 37210M brings mining closer to the spring. It is disturbing to us that no mention is made of this area in your Environmental Analysis. We were not even sure that we were supposed to comment on this EA because of the failure to include COC 372190M in it. However, because of the importance to us of protecting our domestic water sources, we are now presenting our input after discussing the matter with you. Needless to say, we see it as imperative that every step possible be taken to protect our domestic water system, We want the lessee to monitor the flow of the identified spring monthly in order to determine the depth of the water souue and to detect . any interruption or diminution of flow so that any lost water can be replaced by the lessee. This monitoring should, we believe, continue for at least ten years after mining lws ceased, to 1