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E <br />S coau co»r~.m Seneca Coal Company <br />August 12, 2005 <br />Daniel T. Mathews RECEIVED <br />Division of Minerals and Geology <br />101 South 3'a, Suite 301 AUG 15 2005 <br />Grand Junction, CO 81501 <br />(970) 242-502$ DiviaionofMineralsand~•,~y <br />RE: Annual Reclamation, Revegetation, and Wildlife Reports for 2003 and 2004 <br />Seneca II-W Mine, Permit C-1982-057 <br />Response to Specific Comments 9 and 10 <br />Deaz Mr. Mathews, <br />SCC has received your comment letter of July 29, 2005 regazding the 2003 and 2004 Annual Redamadon <br />Reports. You have spedfied that SCC is to "Please provide substantive comments to 2004 Annual Report Review Items <br />9 and 10 regardingpostgrade sampling 6yAugurt 19, 2005. "Attached are two (2) copies of revised and/or <br />additional information addressing your comments and requests. A third copy has been to the Division's <br />Denver office also addressed to you. The responses to each of your comments and requests aze provided <br />below and are numbered accordingly. <br />Rule 204 13(2) addi7ional monitories information required b~ap~roved~ermit <br />9. The approved permit requires postgroding sampling on specified spoil and frnal highwaU regrade areal Analytical rerultt <br />and evaluation forspecified chemical andphyacalparameters of concern are to be included in the annual reclamation report. <br />Within the original permit boundary, areas .subject Ya sampling are delineated on Exhibit 6-6 (Final Graded Spot! and <br />Highwall Sampling Ana). The subject area includes most of the North mine block in the 005E-1 and 005 Gulch <br />waterrhedy as well as the `B"Pit and adjacent `A"PitArea, and the neckpit area along the ridgeline behveen the North <br />Block and the `B"Pit. The plan indicates that the spoil sampling plan is to be implemented on regraded areas prior to <br />topsoil replacement (Tab 21, page 4J. <br />Response: According to SCC's copy of Exhibit 6-6, there is no Final Graded Spoil and Highwall SarnplingArea <br />delineated in the adaacent "A" Pit. SCC's exhibit was certified Apri124, 1991. The Lennox highwall sampling <br />azea is delineated on this exhibit to include portions of the B, C, and D Pits. <br />With regazd to timing of sampling, it is very difficult to final grade, collect samples, receive and review results <br />and replace topsoil in one season to allow revegetation in the fitst available planting season. <br />In 2004, sampling war conducted within recentlygraded portions of the North Block in the 005E-1 watershed, in a few <br />locations along 16e lower 005 channel, and along the soutbetrr boundary of the North Blac ana. Sampling was also <br />conducted in the retentlygraded `B"Pit and adjacent `A"Pit areas. The North Black areas had been topsoiled prior to <br />spoil sampling (2003in 005E-1 watershed,• 1999 along south highwall), Remaining areas wen topsoiled and seeded in <br />2004. The 'A"and `B "pit ramp&ng appears to bane been conducted in general accordance with the rystematicgrid, 500 <br />foot spactn~ specifzed in the permit, for the recently reclaimed areas. However, then it an apparentgap in the North Black <br />samplinggrid in the `D"and `L'"'Pit areas, between Samples 40 and 41, and the line ofsampks from 35 through 39. <br />Seneca Coal Company • P.O. Box 670 • Hayden, Colorado 81638 <br />Telephone (970) 276-3707 • FAX (970) 276-3014 <br />