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A more significant issue to DMG is the protection of the public <br />health and safety with regard to the subsidence of the cliff and <br />the subsequent rockfall hazard. The subsidence produced by <br />undermining the cliff in Panels 8 and 9 will likely create a <br />significant risk to the safety of the people using Routt County <br />road #27 in Section 36, T5N,R87W and Section 31, T5N,R86W. It is <br />the Divisions' understanding, via our phone conversation of June <br />21, 1994, that a road relocation plan is likely the direction the <br />county will proceed to alleviate the risk to mptorists and <br />pedestrians along this section of road. <br />Based on site-specific experience to-date, the Division concurs <br />that road relocation appears to be the safest and most logical way <br />to protect the public health and safety. However, we presently are <br />not able to give an estimate of the length of time that this road <br />may need to stay located on the relocated surface. Instability <br />created by subsidence may be exacerbated by potential weathering <br />effects (freeze-thaw, etc.) and could render the present road <br />corridor unsafe for many years to come. The Division will not allow <br />the road to be moved back to its existing condition until it is <br />demonstrated to our satisfaction that the potential risk of <br />rockfall hazard has returned to those present under natural <br />conditions. <br />Therefore, the County may want to consider permanent relocation as <br />a solution. This would eliminate the need for repair of the <br />jeopardized road section, potentially reduce the disturbance to the <br />environment and provide the maximum amount of safety to the public. <br />I would like to discuss this matter with you and your staff in more <br />detail in the near future. Mining and subsequent subsidence <br />impacts will not affect a hazardous portion of the cliff until <br />sometime in early 1995. Possibly I can arrange to stop by when I <br />am in Routt county in the near future. Also, feel free to call me <br />if you have immediate concerns. <br />Sin1c/e}~e~ly, ,,,~2~ <br />Kent A. Gorham <br />Environmental Protection Specialist <br />CC: David Berry, DMG <br />Jim Pendleton, DMG <br />