2008-02-12_REPORT - C1981044 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

P¢abody BTU Empire Corporation 29515 Routt County Road #27 Oak Creek, CO 80467 970.879.3800 Mrs. James Stark Environmental Protection Specialist Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety 1313 Sherman Street -Room 214 Denver, Colorado 80203 (303) 866-4929 ~~e~~D ~~~ 12 2008 Division of i=5,~~:: -`~',E°iion, Mining and Saiery February 8, 2008 RE: BTU Empire Corp. -Eagle 5 & 9 Mines (Permit C-81-044), 2007 Annual Reclamation Report (ARR) Dear Mrs. Binns: Enclosed are duplicate copies of the 2007 Annual Reclamation Report. The Mine remains in Temporary Cessation, and no new disturbance, backfilling, grading, topsoil replacement, or reclamation/seeding was completed during 2007. During 2007, BTUEC permitted asolid-waste disposal facility with both the CDRMS (TR07-34) and CDPHE-APCD, in anticipation of demolition of several obsolete buildings and subsequent disposal of demolition debris. This resulted in no change in disturbance acreage, since the affected area had previously been disturbed, but did increased the bond amount by $11,530. Ongoing site maintenance and monitoring activities continued. During 2006, the frequency of surface and ground water monitoring was increased to provide for updated hydrologic information, in the event that Peabody decides to pursue further exploration and feasibility evaluations for the Empire property, and the more intensive hydrologic monitoring continued during 2007. Maintenance activities included inspection and clean-out of drainage structures (as needed), clean-up and removal of miscellaneous equipment and debris (from abandoned buildings and field storage areas), and focused weed- and rodent-control activities. During 2007, there was an oil pipeline rupture, which resulted in a localized oil spill on the southern portion of BTUEC's property (outside of mine permit area). BTUEC Staff coordinated with the pipeline operator (Rocky Mountain Pipeline) on containment, clean-up, and remediation. Rodent control activities focused on follow-up to the 2005-2006 program to address an existing infestation of ground squirrels in areas to the west, north, and south of the 7-North Angle Dewatering Borehole. The 2005-2006 control efforts were effective in significantly reducing the ground squirrel population, and the 2007 further reduce the ground squirrel population to a manageable level and addressed rehabilitation of affected lands. Control methods included localized application of Prozap (zinc-phosphate oat bait) at the entrances to rodent burrows and shooting the rodents. The 2006 beaver control efforts were effective in eliminating beavers from affected lands, the irrigation system was restored to usable condition, and flooding of the affected areas was eliminated, allowing land rehabilitation activities to proceed.