PERMFILE126627

• Permit No: M1999002
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 7/8/1999
• Doc Name: FAX COVER
• From: DMG
• To: STEIGERE
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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Staff Presentation by Allen Sorenson:
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23. Formal Public Hearing r. it JX', •~
AMERICAN SODA L.L.P. !~ File No. M-99-002
710 Cooper St. 3R`t Floor
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
Rio Blanco, Sec. I5, TIS, R97W, 6`h P.M., 4,084 acres, 112d-3 Nahcolite; Yankee Gulch Mine
site. Consideration of a 112d-3 permit application for an in-situ solution mine for which
objections have been received.
The Board approved the permit application with four conditions: Condition 1 -The ambient
groundwater quality data collected through implementation of the groundwater characterization
plan described in the permit application will be incorporated into the permit through a technical
revision that will assure an opportunity for meaningful public participation in [he process.
Permit conditions protective of groundwater will also be established through the same technical
revision process, which is described below. Until the permit is revised to include permit
conditions protective of groundwater, the operator is precluded from injecting fluids under this
permit for the purpose of solution mining.
If the ambient groundwater quality information collected under the characterization plan proves
to be inadequate to establish permit conditions protective of groundwater, the Boazd may
require additional characterization of groundwater prior to allowing injection of fluids for
solution mining.
If the ambient ground water quality information demonstrates that the existing and reasonable
potential future uses of groundwater may not be protected by permit conditions under the mine
plan described in the permit application, or in the permit as it may be revised, then the Board
may bar the operator from further executing the mine plan and require reclamation of any
disturbance that has occurred up to [hat point.
The technical revision process to be employed will occur through the following steps: (1)
Provision of the groundwater data to the Division as it is accumulated rather than as a single
submittal at the end of the data gathering period. The Division will disseminate the data to the
parties to the permit application process. This procedure will assure that interested parties have
adequate opportunity to evaluate the data.
(2) Once all of the required ambient groundwater data has been accumulated, the operator will
apply for a technical revision to incorporate the data into the permit and to establish permit
conditions protective of groundwater. The operator will follow the public notice procedures of
Rule 1.6.2 and Rule 1.6.3. Public comment on the technical revision will be in accordance with
Rule 1.7.1 and Rule 1.7.2.
(3) A formal public hearing will be convened during the July 2000 meeting of the Board to
consider the merits of the technical revision and to hear testimony from the parties and the
public. If the technical revision is not ready for a hearing in July 2000, the hearing date could
be continued. If the hearing is to be continued, the operator must notify the parties at least 45
days prior to the hearing.