GENERAL52104

• Permit No: C1981013
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 12/1/1988
• Doc Name: Proposed Decision & Findings of Compliance for RN1
• Permit Index Doc Type: Findings
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

As required by Rule 2.07,6 (2 )(c ), the Division has assessed the probable
cumulative impacts of all anticipated coal mining in the general area on
the hydrologic balance. These impacts cannot include those that result
from secondary or retreat mining under Santistevan Canyon, since adequate
data for such evaluation has not been supplied by the operator, As a
result, secondary or retreat mining under Santistevan Canyon cannot be
approved at this time. Excluding that aspect of the proposed operation,
the Division finds that the operations described in the application have
been designed to prevent damage to the hydrologic balance outside the
proposed permit area,
HYDROLOGIC MONITORING
The mining company is required under Rule 4.05.13.(1) and (2) to monitor
the effects of underground mining activities upon the quantity and
quality of ground water and surface water. This monitoring is required
in order to judge the compliance of the operator with the water quality
provisions of the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act. The
water quality provisions of the Act require that the operator shall in no
case violate Federal and State water quality statutes, regulations,
standards, or effluent limitations. As a matter of policy, the Division
has adopted the Department of Health's Receiving Stream Standards as one
of the standards by which impacts to the hydrologic balance from mining
are judged. Other standards are developed and used by the Division when
appropriate. Receiving stream standards have been established for the
Purgatoire River. The applicant must also demonstrate an ability to
comply with the NPDES effluent limitations.
Rule 4.05.13(1) and (2) do not apply strictly to point discharges as does
the NPDES permit issued by the Colorado Health Department. Tne rules in
4.05.13(1) require monitoring of non-point discharges and ground water.
To ensure that the effects of the surface and underground mining
activities on the quantity and quality of surface and ground water in the
permit and adjacent areas are adequately monitored, Stipulation 10 was
made to the approval of the original permit. Stipulation 10 contained
specific requirements as regards the type and frequency of surface and
ground water monitoring to be conducted for the Golden Eagle Mine. These
requirements were changed as a result of the approval of Technical
Revision 02. The current monitoring program is found on pages 2.05.34-37
and in Tables 1 and 2 of Exhibit 10 of the permit application. Location
of the monitoring stations appear on Map 7.
Asa result of the approval of Pond 5 for treatment of mine water prior
to discharge, well PAW-7 was added to the program to monitor the effects
of this pond on the Purgatoire Alluvial Valley Floor. This well will
have the same monitoring requirements as wells PAW 5 and PAW 6.
Stipulation No. 10 was satisfied during the first permit term. The
surface and ground water monitoring program described on pages 2.05.34-37
of the renewal application is accepted as adequate for the renewal term,
_pg_