GENERAL42931

• Permit No: C1981013
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 2/7/1994
• Doc Name: Dept of Health letter to Tatum
• From: CDOH
• To: JAMES TATUM
• Permit Index Doc Type: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Dedicated to protecting and improving the health and
environment o(the people of Colorado
4300 Che~~''yy Creek Dr. S. Laboratory BuBding
Denver, Glorado 80222-1530 4210 E. 11th Avenue
Phone [phone] Denver, Colorado 80 2 2 0-3 71 6
[phone]
February 2, 199.4
Mr. James Tatum
8703 Bonhomme
Houston, TX 77074
Dear Mr. Tatum:
STATE OF COLORADO
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Patdda A. Nolan, MD, MPH
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The Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Division of Minerals
and Geology has requested the Colorado Department of Health, Air
Pollution Control Division to respond to. your concerns regarding
the Air Pollution Control Division's requirements for coal mine
exhaust, specifically the "exhaust fan" and associated emissions
from the Golden Eagle Mine in Las Animas County, Colorado.
The fan used to exhaust the mine gas is an 8 foot diameter, 500 hp,
electrically powered unit. This fan does exhaust a large volume of
warmed methane gas. The discolored vegetation in the vicinity of
the fan exhaust is thought to be a result of the temperature
changes which the vegetation undergoes and/or the displacement of
carbon dioxide by the methane.
Methane is a compound for which the Air Pollution Control Division
does not require a permit or the filing of an air pollution
emission notice (APEN). Currently, methane is not a regulated
pollutant in Colorado. Prior to 1992 an emission permit was
required for the emission of methane, but 1992 Colorado legislation
exempted methane from the regulatory requirements because it has
been determined to have a negligible impact on air quality.
Additional mine exhaust emissions are also low enough in volume to
be exempted from permitting and APEN requirements.
The Colorado Department of Health, Air Pollution Control Division
will continue to monitor the exhaust gases from the Golden Eagle
Mine in Las Animas County and enforce the rules, regulations, and
permit conditions which apply to this facility.
Please feel free to contact me at [phone] at your
convenience should you have any further questions or need
additional information about this situation.