1987-12-01_PERMIT FILE - C1981017 (288)

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IMID-CONTINENT RESOURCES. INC. P.Q Box 1334 . 818 Colorado Ave. Glenmrood Springs.Colorado 81601 (303)945-5956 August 3, 1981 Mr. Jim Herron Reclamation Specialist Mined Land Reclamation Division Department of Natural Resources 423 Centennial Building 1313 Sherman Street Denver, CO 80203 Dear Jim: As suggested in your preliminary adequacy review comments on our Coal Basin Mine Permit Application, we are hereby requesting a variance from Approximate Original Contour (AOC) restoration requirements for steep slope mining in accordance with paragraph 2. 06 . 5 of 'your rules and regula- tions on coal mining. The majority of the haul and light use roads , as well as the mine escapeways and portals in the Coal Basin mine permit area have been constructed on slopes that exceed 20 degrees. In this unusally rough and steep terrain with a paucity of topsoil, the construction of the roads and portals has resulted in extensive hiqhwalls and almost vertical road cuts mostly in rock and shale formations that would be extremely difficult, if not impossible to backfill to AOC. .Most of the surface disturbance in the basin predates the passage of the 1977 Colorado Coal Mininq Reclamation Act when there was no requirement to stockpile what little topsoil was present. Consequently, the only soil available for backfill of highwalls and steep cuts along the steep slopes of Coal Basin is in the downslopes where it would be unusally difficult to retrieve. A variance from the requirements to reclaim the disturbed areas in Coal Basin to AOC will make the lands suitable for public use following cessation of mining. As outlined in Chapter VI, Postmining Land Use, of this permit application _ the planned postmining land uses of Coal Basin are recreation, wildlife habitat and livestock qrazinq. In support of these .