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III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII .~s . - ~ ~~:~~,~~~ 999 ZruwJ~~~m. -a ~~'va. ~P01/ f56- 6600 ~P1P/ 5.99-99.90 February ]6, 1983 Mr, Allen D. Clein ~'Cl1~eD Administrator of Western Technical Center Office of Surface Mining 1020 15th Street FF~ ~ ~ ~~~; ~ Denver, Colorado 80202 '~ Mr. Robert Hagan COLO. GEF I. CF r:ATU. :d fJ°^,"'f` Field Office Director Office of Surface Mining 219 Central, N. W. (Room 216) Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102 Re: GEC Coal Mine, Fremont County, Colorado Gentlemen: I represent GEC Minerals, Inc., with reference to the above cap- tioned mine. There currently exists a raging underground coal fire at this mine, coning to the surface in many places, which fire was either caused by the offset operator (or, as they allege, by spontaneous combustion). Repeated demands by ourselves, our lessor and the State of Colorado were made on this offset operator to extinguish the fire, but they refused. The fire is expanding and getting progressively worse, irrespective of ours and our lessor`s attempts [o suffocate the fire. The offset operator still refusing, we acceded to the demands of the State and our lessor to attempt to put out the fire since we were the only people in the area with [he proper equipment. After consultations with various experts, it was decided to excavate a very extensive fire trench to isolate the burning coal. We are seeking reimburse- ment for doing this work and are being refused until the offset operator reimburses them. Under these circumstances, we simply cannot afford to continue to fight this fire and stay in business. At this time we would feel it our obligation to notify you as custodians of our environment and the public good to come to our aid to complete this firefight- ing task or forever to allow this Eire to escape into the maze of underground mines honeycombing [he area and forever reap havoc on the environment. This is a critical juncture in this firefighting