Laserfiche WebLink
STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (303) 8663567 <br />FAX: (303) 832-8106 <br />April 14, 2009 <br />Kathleen G. Welt <br />Mountain Coal Company, LLC <br />P.O. Box 591 <br />Somerset, CO 81434 <br />Re: West Elk Mine (Permit No. C-1980-007) <br />Minor Revision No. 352 (MR-352) <br />Exploration Drilling in Dry Fork Area and on Lions Mesa <br />Dear Ms. Welt: <br />COLORADO <br />D I V I S I O N OF <br />RECLAMATION <br />MINING <br />SAFETY <br />Bill Ritter, Jr. <br />Governor <br />Harris D. Sherman <br />Executive Director <br />Ronald W. Cattany <br />Division Director <br />Natural Resource Trustee <br />Your letter of April 13, 2009 resolved the adequacy issues noted in our letter of April 9, 2009. The <br />Division is prepared to issue a decision to approve MR-352 upon receiving the following two <br />verifications from other agencies. <br />1) Verification from the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) that the proposed drilling on <br />private land at five locations on Lions Mesa will not adversely affect a place that is listed on or is <br />eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. This verification from the SHPO is <br />required by Rule 2.07.6(2)(e)(i). Should site surveys be necessary, the Division can approve MR- <br />352 with the stipulation that the surveys and SHPO clearance will be provided before drilling <br />commences at those locations. We requested verification from the SHPO in a letter dated April <br />6, 2009. Our "Memorandum of Understanding" with the SHPO specifies a maximum 30-day <br />response time, but they have usually responded much sooner. <br />2) Verification from the U.S. Forest Service that the surface right-of-entry for the 2009D drilling <br />location is still valid. This hole will be drilled at the same location that SOM-66 was drilled more <br />than 30 years ago. I requested verification from the U.S. Forest Service by telephone this <br />morning. <br />Sincerely, <br /> <br />Tom Kaldenbach <br />Environmental Protection Specialist <br />cc: Dan Hernandez, DRMS <br />Office of <br />Office of <br />Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines