2008-08-19_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - M2008062

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215 hti , C O L O RA D O
D IV I S I O N O F
Denver, Colorado 80203 RECLAMATION
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
SEp ; l 1L?ud MINING
F
Division or reclamation,
TY
SA
Mining and Safety
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
August 19, 2008 / ?_ 2oa? -o? ? Harris D. Sherman
Executive Director
Mr. Warren Wilcox Ronald W. Cattany
Division Director
Gunnison Aggregate Resources, LLC Natural Resource Trustee
P. O. Box 42
Gunnison, CO 81230 /
RE: Inquiry About Operations in a BLM Community Use Pit
Dear Mr. Wilcox:
Per our phone conversations earlier this month, it is understood that you are requesting Division of
Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) clarification about whether a reclamation permit is required
for mixing materials and asphalt production in a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) community use
pit.
As we discussed, DRMS regulates reclamation of mining activities in the State of Colorado, with few
exceptions. One of those exceptions is the BLM community use pits. These operations, including
reclamation of the mining related disturbance falls under the jurisdiction of the BLM. DRMS does not
currently require a reclamation permit for those operations.
Additionally, asphalt batch plants and their operation do not fall under DRMS jurisdiction unless
provisions for such are included in a mine reclamation permit for a specific site or take place within a
the boundaries of a permitted mine site. In those instances where the batch plant is included in a
reclamation permit, the permit addresses only reclamation of structures or wastes from batch plant
operation and proper spill contaimnent for protection of ground water resources and the hydrologic
balance. Operation of the batch plant is not regulated under the reclamation pen-nit.
If you need additional information, please contact ire at the Division of Reclamation, Mining and
Safety, Grand Junction Field Office, 101 South Third Street, Room 301, Grand Junction, Colorado
81501, telephone no. 970-243-6368.
Sincerely,
Steve S. huey
Senior Environmental Protection Specialist
CC: Marry Medina - BLM Gunnison Field Office
Cathie Pagano - Gunnison County Planning
Office of
Office of Active and Inactive Mines
Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand )unction Durango