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Memorandum To: Susan McCannon, Dmr Hernandez From: Randy Price Date: 02/16/1995 Subject: Tatum Complaint, Methane Exhaus[ From Fan I followed up on the methane portion of the most recent Tatum complaint. Ms. Tatum had called the Colorado Geological Survey and she spoke with Carol Tremain concerning the mine exhaust methane. Carol sent Ms. Tatum two papers. Carol sent me Tatum's letter and the two studies. The two studies are a C.G.S. study titled Caalbed Methane - A potential Geologic Hazard and a publication from the American Gas Association titled Impacts of Natural Gas on Drinking Wa[er and Human Health. They aze attached, please pass them onto Dan and then me for filing. The CGS has classified coalbed methane as a geologic hazard, but the study did not address methane toxicity to plants. However, the A.G.A publication referenced several studies that addressed plant toxicity. The studies referenced by the A.G.A said that there is little toxicity to plants from methane in air (page 34). Most of the studies used concentrations of 20% to 90% ~ ~ ~ methane. At these high concentrations some plants showed adverse effects. The principal toxicity is from methane displacing oxygen. The Golden Eagle mine exhaust has a much lower concentration of methane than the level used in these studies. Because of MSHA requirements, the methane in the mine ventilation must be kept well below a combustible level. Larry Bennet of Basin Resources, in a telephone conversation, said that the maximum allowable concentration of methane allowed to dischazge from the air shaft i 2%. Ralph Lopez of Basin, in a telephone conversation February 16, said that the air shaft has a continuos methane recorder and that the data may be available possibly in chart form. I will be going out to the mine during the last week of February for the well pump pulling. I could bring a methane detector and take a measurement of the fan exhaust.