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t. <br />:i <br />~ DESERADO MINE <br />BLUE MOUNTAIN ENERGY <br />3607 County Rd. 65 <br />Rangely, CO 81648 ~~~``'~~ <br />(970)675-4300 ~'~ <br />fax (970)675-4399 ~~~ ~ ~ ~Q~"~ <br />January 31, 2008 u~ Ke`"N eery <br />~`~`M~n~n9 and ~a <br />Water Quality Protection Section -Industrial Compliance Program <br />Water Quality Control Division <br />Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment <br />WQCD-WQP-B2 <br />4300 Cherry Creek Drive South <br />Denver, CO 80222-1530 <br />RE: Spill Report #2008-0052 <br />Colorado Discharge Permit No. CO-0038024; Outfall 001; Pond DP-1 <br />Deserado Mine <br />Dear Sir: <br />On or about January 27, 2008 the riser pipe in a sediment pond (DP-1) at Blue Mountain <br />Energy's Deserado Coal Mine was severely damaged resulting in the unintentional <br />dewatering of the pond. The damaged riser pipe was found at 9 a.m. on January 28`'' after <br />observing the irregular ice surface. <br />This incident was reported to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment the <br />afternoon of January 28`~ with detailed information provided to Mr. Greg Stasinos the <br />morning of the 29~'. <br />The specific cause of the failure is not yet known. However it is believed that a failure in <br />the connection between the riser pipe and the pipe through the embankment has occurred.. <br />This section is currently covered with about 18" of ice and approximately two feet of <br />embankment fill. A track hoe will be needed to safely investigate and repair/replace the <br />structure. A contractor will mobilize to the mine site as soon as road conditions allow. <br />Turbid water was released to Scullion Gulch, but due to the small quantity of water that <br />was contained in the pond, water that was discharged has not flowed into the White <br />River. The DP-1 pond is approximately 3 miles from the White River. A sample of the <br />discharge was collected on January 28`'' and sent to a laboratory for analysis. Flow at the <br />time of collection was 12 gpm, pH 7.57, and conductivity 1206. <br />Activities which contribute water to the DP-1 pond have been stopped. <br />