PERMFILE109565

• Permit No: M1981148
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 10/24/1983
• Doc Name: RESPONSES TO ADEQUACY LETTER CHIEFTAIN MINE FN 81-148
• From: MARK A HEIFNER
• To: MLR
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

• iii iiiiiii~iiiii ~~i ,,
MARK A. HEIFNER
37 East Colorado Avenue
Denver CO 80210
1303) '722-9067
October 6, 1983
Peter V. O'Connor,
Reclamation Specialist
Mined Land Reclamation
Rm. 423 Centennial Bldg.
1313 Sherman St.
Denver, CO 80203
environmental services
botanical studies
photography
9~ECE6VED
OCT 2 41983
RE: Responses to adequacy letter, Chieftain Mine MINED LAND RECLAMATION DiV1Si0N
Your File Ho. 81-148 Colo. Dept. of Natural Resources
Dear Mr. O'Connor:
I have been asked to respond to some of the points you have raised in
your adequacy letter, dated September 29, 1983. Following are my
responses to those questions primarily regarding the reclamation plan
and soil salvage and storage.
Exhibit D -Mining Plan, Item 1:
We agree that the seeding rate is little bit on the low side and
agree to adjust the rate to the S.C.S, recommended rate. However, we
believe that Slender Wheatgrass should not be substituted for Fairway
Crested Wheatgrass.
Standard Crested Wheatgrass would not be wise to use, but Fairway
Crested Wheatgrass exhibits somewhat different characteristics. It Ss
fairly drought resistant and equal to Slender Wheatgrass in this respect.
It tends to develop somewhat more rapidly than Slender Wheatgrass or
Intermediate Wheatgrass. It also tends to be less bunchy than Slender
Wheatgrass or Standard Crested Wheatgrass (that is the reason it is
used on golf course fairways -hence its name . On the whole, as a
species useful in stabilizing topsoil stockpiles, we feel it is
preferable to Slender Wheatgrass.
It is true that some carryover into the final vegetation can be
expected and this would be of great concern Sf the more vigorous
competer Standard Crested Wheatgrass were used on the stockpiles.
However, the Fairway variety should not produce the problems the
Standard variety xould probably produce.
It must also be pointed out that this same mixture has been approved
for identical uses on other Robinson Brick Company mines. In the
interest of efficiency it is much more convenient to limit the variety
of seed mixtures a company needs when they operate multiple: mines
that have similar soil and environmental characteristics.