2006-03-23_REPORT - M1977424 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Logan Wash Mine Annual Report Permit No.: M-1977-424 A storm runoff stock watering basin was constructed at Area 10, the former Helo Pad, in 2004. The pond is to be used by a local rancher to water cattle. In 2005, a small flat area adjacent to the basin .vas being used by gas industry operators to park equipment. In the fall of 2005, OOSI reclaimed this area and constructed a security fence to prevent further disturbance. 2.2 Roads Table 2 refers to reclamation status of "Miscellaneous Access Roads" as described in the original permit. The acreage figures in the table are based on what acreage remains to be reclaimed as measured in the field. Field measurements for the "Mine Bench and Portal" roads indicate that 6.2 acres remain to be reclaimed at the end of the reporting period. The Upper Bench Road was reclaimed during the reporting period. The 6.2 acres of unreclaimed roads consists of 0.9 acres of the Lower Bench Road, and 5.3 acres of the Upper Access Road from the intersection of Logan Wash Road to the intersection of the Upper and Lower Bench Roads, 4,050 ft of which includes a 50-ft width due to pulling back outslope material. As discussed in Section 6.0, this remaining unreclaimed road acreage may be removed from the permit if a gas well is constructed on the Lower Bench. Disturbed acreage associated with the Logan Wash Road or the "tramroad" was originally shown in the mine permit to be 53.43 acres. U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) records show that subsequent amendments to the right-of--way (COC-223027) resulted in aright-of--way of 58.6 acres; however, it is not clear that this was the actual disturbance. BLM records also indicate that the original right-of--way includes all of the Upper Access Road up to at least the Research Mine Bench portion of the road. The acreage amounts for roads (Area 13) in the original permit appear to include the acreage associated with the Upper Access Road. 2.3 Structures Surface structures that remain on site include, two vault structures, one on the Lower Bench and one on the Research Mine Bench, a capped and vented ventilation shafr, the and the evaporation pond (Pond 1) and detection vault. The two vault structures will remain as permanent structures on the mine site to manage mine water drainage. Subsurface structures include the Research Mine drainage pipeline, the L-1 mine water pipeline, the retort water pipeline, which extends from the sealed L-1 portal to the evaporation pond, and several monitoring wells. A reconnaissance of well sites for wells constructed in support of mine operations was conducted within the permit area and within Logan Wash. Eight wells were identified within this area. Reconnaissance for wells located outside the permitted area in distant drainages has yet to be conducted. Of the 8 identified wells, one well will remain in place as a compliance well (LWCW-1A), and 3 wells were abandoned (LW-108, LW-112, and LW-242) during the reporting period. The other 4 wells, LW-32, LW-45, LW-116, and LW-22, are not scheduled to be abandoned because of a request by Mr. Ned Prather, a local rancher, to use the wells for stock water purposes. Mr. Prather grazes his cattle at the high elevations during the summer months. Currently, 00SI intends to transfer ownership of the wells to Mr. Prather, with exception of Well LW-22 which is located on BLM land, If ownership of this well is acceptable to BLM, OOSI will initiate the transfer process and Mr. Prather will need to arrange for water use through the BLM. Reconnaissance to date has not revealed any other monitoring wells within the permit area and the Logan Wash drainage. Western Water 8 Land,lnc.