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r -~- <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman St, Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (303) 866-3567 <br />FAX: (303) 832-8106 <br />Mr. Ed Baker - EHS Manager / <br />White River Nahcolite Minerals, L.L.C. V <br />P.O. Drawer 72 <br />3200 County Road 31 <br />Rifle CO. 81650 <br />D 1 V 1 5 I O N O F <br />MINERALS <br />GEOLOGY <br />RECLAMATION <br />MINING•SAFETY <br />Bill Owens <br />Goverrwr <br />Greg E. Walther <br />Executive Director <br />Ronald W. Cattany <br />/ Division Director <br />RE: Mine Plan and Groundwater Compliance Questions: White River Nahcolite Minerals L.L.C., ,_:_ <br />,% Nacoli~ to Protect, Permit No. M-1983-194 ~ <br />Dear Mr. Baker: <br />As a follow-up to your telephone conversations with Carl Mount and Gregg Squire on Mazch 5,2003, <br />the Division has the following comments. <br />1) Oa Februazy 19, 2003 Division staff members attended a joint agency meeting with the . . <br />U.S.E.P.A. Underground Injection Control Program and the U.S.B.L.M. in.Denver: During this <br />meeting the Federal agencies indicated that there was some evidence of the. possibility of Yoof . <br />failures in the Nahcolite Project solution cavities. This is of concern to the D'iwision because <br />such failures could have an impact on the water quality of overlying groundwater aquifers.. , <br />Since the Division has primazy responsibility for ground -water quality compliance issues <br />related to its reclamation permits, this is a serious concern. Further the Division was unawaze of <br />any notifications that the operator may have provided to the DMG. <br />2) On Febtuazy 13, 2003 the Division received a Technical Revision application from White River <br />Nahcolite to add a subsidence monitoring well (2M-TDR). The application stated that this <br />subsidence monitoring well is required by the EPA and BLM to assess possible Gavin and . ~~~~~ <br />subsidence. ~Qe 4 <br />3) During the March 5, 2003 telephone conversations, you stated that you would be ss bmitting a 3"03 <br />revised mine plan to the Division within a month, and also information from your consultant <br />(Agapito and Associates) pertaining to the possibility of groundwater impacts due. to cavity <br />roof caving or crown-pillar failure. Following the receipt of this material, the Division must <br />make a decision as to any further measures which the operator or the Division must take. As <br />previously stated, the Division is responsible for any groundwater quality compliance issues <br />which may result from these crown-pillaz failures and should be informed of any new <br />information or concerns regazding this issue as soon as possible. <br />If you have any questions please contact me. <br />' cerely, _ <br />az B. ount <br />Senior Environmental Protection Specialist <br />