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:~. -• <br />~~. United States Forest PAONIA RANGER DISTRICT <br />Department of Service ~~~ P.O. Box 1030 <br />~'~'~ Agriculture (303) 527-4131 Paonia, Colorado 81428 <br />GSM-WTC __J <br />I?86 AUG I I AM 8 5`. <br />Repl iio~_,2820 <br />71ESTFR E~•`'"~~-'~~~`IAugust 8. 1986 <br />USDI, Office of Surface Mining <br />Reclamation and Enforcement <br />ATTN: Rick Lawton <br />Brooks Towers <br />1020 15th Street <br />Denver, CO 80202 <br />Dear Rick: <br />This memo constitutes our response to West Elk Coal Company, Inc as Mine and <br />Reclamation Plan Adequacy Response of June 25. 1986. Activities within the <br />proposal fall within the scope of our initial concurrence regarding SMCRA <br />522(e)(2) and 522(e)(2)(B). <br />We do have some concern regarding protection of the current and foreseeable <br />water uses which are within the West Elk Coal Company lease area. We are <br />interested in any activity which could cause loss or reduction of water at any <br />of these sites, but we believe that short term or temporary loss of stock water <br />could cause serious damage to livestock permittees in the area. We therefore <br />recommend the folloring actions or stipulations to mitigate that possibility: <br />1. The map showing current water uses (2.8.1.c revised and 2.8.1.g) <br />shoultl De uptlated annually. (Forest Service Map of Current Water Uses <br />attached.) <br />2. ARCO will monitor subsidence over those panels which underlie current <br />water uses, and monitor those springs/ponds during the period of <br />possible subsidences at a frequency cortmensurate with risk of water <br />loss during actual and planned seasonal livestock use. <br />3. ARCO will be responsible for tnsuring that an approved contingency <br />plan is to place prior to secondary recovery of panels under current <br />water uses. The plan will detail how grazing permittees~ water needs <br />will be met if subsidence leads to water loss and if livestock <br />actually need the water -- either immediately or once they move into <br />the effected portion of the allotment. <br />With the addition of these stipulations, we concur with mining plan approval <br />terms. <br />Sincerely. <br />~ ~ <br />C ~ ~ G <br />STEVEN L. POSEY ~/ <br />District Ranger <br />Enclosures <br />cc: Forest Supervisor, Grand Mesa. Uncompahgre <br />U~5 and Gunnison National Forests <br />blest Elk Coal Company, Inc. <br />F$-0200-201'/041 <br />