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• '1 <br />would later occur at subject sites, and did not include any costs to cover maintenance of <br />environmental protective measures following their completion. In most cases, when the <br />fact that forfeited bond monies would be insufficient came to light, DMG pursued <br />additional avenues to acquire sufficient reclamation funds. Some of these activities <br />reaped additional monies. Some did not. In certain cases DIv1G was aware that the <br />operator and/or the surety was bankrupt with no assets, or deceased. Therefore, faced <br />with the certainty of no return on our efforts, we did not elect to pursue additional civil <br />avenues to acquire more reclamation funds. In all cases, DMG did the bestjob possible <br />to stretch the available reclamation dollars to acquire the best possible reclamation and <br />environmental remediation at the revoked sites. Despite our best efforts, reclamation <br />success and environmental remediation has fallen short of what is necessary at a handful <br />of sites. <br />Within the DMG Inactive and Active Mines Program, federal Abandoned Mine Lands <br />(AML) funds aze available to reclaim and remediate environmental and public health <br />hazards at coal mine sites which were abandoned prior to 1979. Unfortunately, the below <br />listed mine sites were abandoned by their operators later than 1979 and are therefore, not <br />eligible for federal AML funds. With approval of the amendment to CSMCRA by the <br />Colorado General Assembly and an appropriation of severance tax monies, the AML <br />Program within the Division would administer the additional necessary reclamation or <br />maintenance activities at the selected revoked coal mine sites. <br />Program/Project Objectives: Conduct additional necessary reclamation and maintain <br />environmental remediation measures at revoked coal mine sites. <br />Performance Measures: During the first year the highest priority projects would be <br />commenced. During the following two years projects will continue, as needed, and lower <br />priority projects would be commenced and completed. Large projects could take up to <br />three years to complete. We, therefore, request that appropriated funds be made available <br />for a three year period. Most reclamation and maintenance work will be bid out to <br />private contractors. Bidding and letting of several contracts will take considerable time. <br />The contracted work must then occur during the appropriate construction or rec]amation <br />season(s). Following completion of contracted activities, the ultimate success of those <br />activities must be evaluated through at least one growing season, in most cases. <br />Therefore, we request that funds would be appropriated for a three year period, rather <br />than one. Funds which are not encumbered within three years would revert to the ' <br />severance tax fitnd. Based on the amount of the final appropriation, and in descending <br />priority order, the specific projects and locations would include the following: <br />Hawk's Nest Mine, Gunnison County -approx. $30,000 <br />Control of noxious weeds, erosion control, soil amendment and <br />revegetation, removal and disposal of debris and hazards. <br />A.rness-A~1cGriffin Mine, La Plata County -approx. $5,000 <br />Reconstructed drainage channel erosion control, erosion of access road. <br />GEC Mine, Fremont County -approx. $50,000 <br />Constructed diversion erosion control, soil amendment and revegetation. <br />