REP15667

• Permit No: C1982057
• IBM Index Class Name: Report
• Doc Date: 11/22/2004
• Doc Name: 2003 ARR & 2003 Wildlife Responses to Adequacy/2003 Revised ARR Form
• From: Seneca Coal Company
• To: DMG
• Permit Index Doc Type: Annual Reclamation Report
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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SEcoN~tr Seneca Coal Company
November 18, 2004
Daniel Mathews
Division of Minerals and Geology
101 South 3~, Suite 301
Grand Junction, CO 81501
[phone]
RE: Annual Reclamation, Revegetation, and Wildlife Reports for 2003
Response to Comments
Dear Mx. Mathews,
SCC has received your comment letter of April 22, 2004 regarding the 2003 Annual Redamation Report.
Attached please fmd two (2) copies of revised and/or additional information addressing your comments and
requests. A third copy has been to the Division's Denver office also addressed to you. The responses to each
of your comments and requests are provided below and aze numbered accordingly.
Annual Reclamation ReDOrt
Please submit an amended version ofthe X page report form with the GPRA "Acreage m active
mining areas"£rgure corrected (262.34 rather than 647.55).
Response: Please replace the attached corrected form in your copy of the 2003 ARR.
2. 2002 and 2003 annual reports indicate that no .spoil monitoring in accordance with the ,pail monitoring plan was mnducled
in 2002 ar 2003. The 2003 report doer indicate that .pail ruitabikry monitoring will be conducted during the 2004 field
searon, and references spoil sampling in the Lennox coal outcrop aria and thegraded Wadge Spoil. Thu issue war addressed
in comments 7 and 8 of our December 22, 2003 Midterm Permit Review letter. Certain dirirzpancies ident~ed in thole
review comments wild need to be resolved to ensure that spoil sampling is conducted ar required in 2004 and subsequentyears.
Response: In June of 2004, SCC collected a significant number of spoil samples at twenty-five locations
within the recently regraded portions of the "A" and "B" pits. The analytica] results from this sampling effort,
evaluation of the results, and mitigation plans (if needed) will be included in the 2004 Annual Reclamation
Report. SCC had intended the 2004 sampling effort to include locations within the Lennox Coal outcrop area
graded in 2002 in the northeast azea of the "D" Pit, but sample collection was inadvertently missed in this area.
Another sampling effort is scheduled for the Fall 2004, but due to soil specialist's schedule this effort has not
been completed as of I1-18-04. Within the next four weeks or as soon as weather permits in 2005, SCC will
collect overburden samples from an appropriate number of locations in the Lennox Coal outcrop azea of the
"D" Pit. Analytical results from these samples will be reviewed and evaluated, and mitigation plans developed
and implemented if needed prior to the end of 2005. Concurtently, SCC will submit the analytical results,
evaluations, and any mitigation measures that may be needed to the DMG in 2005.
Future annual reclamation reports will reference the currently approved spofl/highwa0 reduction area
monitoring and mitigation requirements, including the associated and required data and evaluations.
Seneca Coal Company • P.O. Box 870 • Hayden, Colorado 87839
Telephone X970) 2783707 • FAX X970) 2783014