2009-03-23_REPORT - M1977424 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Logan Wash Mine Annual Report Permit No.: M-1977-424 reports have shown since at least 1985 that Area 23, Evaporation Pond and Pipeline, was initially a 14.87-acre disturbance. The 1985 annual report shows that 5.07 acres of this acreage was reclaimed prior to the report's published date in spring 1986. Table 1.0 shows the Evaporation Pond and Pipeline acreage as Area 23. On the basis of Table 1.0, the estimated remaining acreage not reclaimed is 18.1 acres. 2.1 Mine Areas Other than roads, the Lower Bench is the only remaining mine area (Area 1) that is not reclaimed. This area consists of 2.1 acres. This area has not yet been reclaimed as it may be used by OXY-USA for drilling a gas well to reduce disruption of additional undisturbed ground. A storm-runoff stock watering basin was constructed at Area 10, the former Helo Pad, in 2004. The pond is to be used by a local rancher to water cattle. In 2005, a small flat area adjacent to the basin was being used by gas industry operators to park equipment. In the fall of 2005, OOSI reclaimed this area and constructed a security fence to prevent further disturbance. 2.2 Roads Table 2 refers to reclamation status of "Miscellaneous Access Roads" as described in the original permit. The acreage figures in the table are based on what acreage remains to be reclaimed as measured in the field. Field measurements for the "Mine Bench and Portal" roads indicate that 6.2 acres remain to be reclaimed at the end of the reporting period. The 6.2 acres of unreclaimed roads consists of 0.9 acres of the Lower Bench Road, and 5.3 acres of the Upper Access Road from the intersection of Logan Wash Road to the intersection of the Upper and Lower Bench Roads (at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and OOSI property boundary), 4,050 linear ft of which includes a 50-ft width due to outslope material that will need to be pulled back during reclamation. The Upper Bench Road has been reclaimed. As discussed in Section 6.0, the Upper Access Road acreage may be removed from the permit if a separate BLM right-of-way is acquired by OOGC to construct a gas well on the Lower Bench. In addition, as there is a potential for future alternative retort water treatment or management methods at the mine, OOSI will not reclaim the Upper Access Road until a later date. Disturbed acreage associated with the Logan Wash Road or the "tramroad" was originally shown in the mine permit to be 53.43 acres. BLM records show that subsequent amendments to the right-of-way (COC-223027) resulted in a right-of-way of 58.6 acres; however, it is not clear that this was the actual disturbance. BLM records also indicate that the original right-of-way includes all of the Upper Access Road up to the BLM-OOSI property boundary near the intersection of the Upper and Lower Bench Roads. The acreage amounts for roads (Area 13) in the original permit appear to include the acreage associated with the Upper Access Road. 2.3 Structures Vaults, Pipelines, and Evaporation Pond Structures that remain on site include two vault structures, one on the Lower Bench and one on the Research Mine Bench; a capped and vented ventilation shaft; the retort water pipeline; and the evaporation pond and associated detection vault. See Figure 2 for the locations of these structures. The two bench vaults are concrete structures with exposed surface access-ways constructed at grade. These structures will remain as permanent structures on the mine site to manage and Western Water & Land, Inc. 2