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(L--1 r1i Fo- W? <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />Bill Ritter, Jr., Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />Thomas E. Remington, Director <br />6060 Broadway <br />Denver, Colorado 80216 <br />Telephone: (303) 297-1192 <br />wildlife. state. co. us <br />SCANNED Decefi Z008 <br />sfoNOF?yq <br />For Wildlife- <br />For People <br />Northwest Region Office <br />711 Independent Avenue <br />Grand 3unction, CO 81505 <br />Telephone (970) 255-6100 <br />pivision of R carnation, <br />Mining and Safety <br />Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, & Safety December 22, 2008 <br />-Attn: Mr. Dan-Mathews/Mike-Boulay - <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />Dear Mr. Mathews: <br />The Colorado Division of Wildlife has reviewed the latest information you provided regarding the McClane <br />Canyon coal mine TR-16 application. We saw that some of the concerns we raised in our comments on 08-19-08 <br />were addressed. We continue to have concerns about the impact discharge of mine water, gob pile leachate, and <br />settling pond overflow will have on water quality in East Salt Creek. While East Salt Creek in the vicinity of the <br />McClane mine is not fish bearing, it does support aquatic wildlife and supplies drinking water for many terrestrial <br />species. <br />We continue to feel that the discharge of mine water, leachate, and settling pond overflow will contaminate East <br />Salt Creek. CAM bases their arguments to the contrary mainly on electrical conductance and ph, often averaging <br />results over the irrigating season and not including hardness values. Aquatic Biologist Lori Martin advises that <br />the current aquatic life stream standard for selenium is 4.6ug/L, a figure already exceeded at SW-1. Addition of <br />mine water discharge streams to East Salt Creek will add selenium and other metals to the water system, <br />potentially impacting wildlife. <br />While doing field monitoring with BLM biologist Heidi Plank in September, District Wildlife Manager Paul <br />Creeden saw that a storm water event had caused coal fines and other sludge to run d6wn the north side of the <br />McClane Canyon Mine access road. While an effort had been made to contain the surface water runoff, it was <br />obvious that some of the discharge had entered East Salt Creek. DWM Creeden spoke with you shortly after that <br />discovery. We remain unsure of the origin of the runoff and feel the issue needs to be resolved, as it was obvious <br />this was not the first time such an event had occurred at the site. We are concerned that monitoring station SW-1 <br />may lie downstream of the runoff point. If so, it would compromise all water quality data reported for East Salt <br />Creek at monitoring station SW-1. <br />Thank you for the opportunity to comment yet again on the McClane Canyon Mine TR-16 Application. Because <br />water quality impact issue remains contentious, it may prove useful for all affected parties to meet with the <br />CDPHE Water Quality Control Division to resolve the issue. <br />Sincerely, / <br />J. T. Romatzke, Area Wildlife Manager <br />xc: R. Velarde, P. Creeden, K. Kaal <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Hams D. Sherman, Executive Director <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Tom Burke, Chair • Claire O'Neal, Vice Chair • Robert Bray, Secretary <br />Members, Dennis Buechler • Brad Coors • Jeffrey Crawford • Tim Glenn • Roy McAnally • Richard Ray <br />Ex Officio Members, Hams Sherman and John Stulp