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5 C_- to <br />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 COLORADO <br /> <br />Phone: (303) 866-3567 D I V OF <br />RECON <br />FAX: (303) 832-8106 MINING <br /> <br /> SMay 5, 2009 Bill Ritter, Jr. <br /> <br /> Gov ernor <br />James H. & Barbara L. Morgan <br />Harris D. Sherman <br />21000 Ridgeline Executive Director <br />Trinidad, CO 81085 <br /> Ronald W. Cattany <br /> Division Director <br /> Natural Resource Trustee <br />RE: Termination of Jurisdiction, Trinidad Basin Mine, Permit No. C-81-048 <br />Dear Sir or Madam: <br />The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (Division) has begun the process of terminating its jurisdiction over the reclaimed <br />Trinidad Basin Coal Mine (TBM). The pen-nit area and mine site are located about 5.5 miles west of the Ludlow exit on 1-25 in Delagua Canyon <br />in Las Animas County. The disturbed and reclaimed areas are in Sections 15 and 22, T31 S R65W of the 6`h Principle Meridian. The permit area <br />under consideration for tennination of jurisdiction and final liability release is approximately 1125 acres of which approximately 250 acres was <br />disturbed for surface operations and subsequently reclaimed. You are being notified as a surface and/or mineral owner in, or adjacent, to the <br />permit area in accordance with the Rules for termination of jurisdiction. <br />The TBM coal mine was originally permitted by Trinidad Basin Mining, Inc., approved by the Division in 1982. The projected life of the mine <br />was five years based on an annual production of 240,000 tons per year. Due to a pattern of violations that occurred in late 1983 and early 1984, <br />the Mined Land Reclamation Board (MLRB) suspended the TBM mining permit. The Division was notified by the operator of the cessation of <br />mining operations in November 1985 and the operator initiated reclamation operations. Following a another series of violations that occurred <br />between 1985 and 1992, in May 1993, the permit was permanently revoked by the MLRB and the bond, in the amount of $132,280.00, was <br />forfeited to the State of Colorado. <br />Since the pen-nit was revoked and the bond was forfeited, the Division has completed reclamation at the site utilizing all of the available bond <br />monies. The Division has conducted regular and periodic inspections to document any undesirable conditions or instability in the reclamation <br />work completed. Stability of the reclaimed land, successful revegetation of grasses, forbs and shrubs, minimization of hydrologic impacts within <br />the permitted area, and prevention of hydrologic impacts outside the permitted area demonstrate that the site has been successfully reclaimed over <br />the past 12 years. Current post-mining land use of rangeland for cattle grazing and ranchette development has been achieved and demonstrated <br />over the revegetation liability period. <br />This notification requires no specific action on your part. If you have any questions, you may contact me at the phone number listed above. <br />The Division will also be conducting a final inspection during the summer 2009, at a time yet to be determined. Should you desire to attend this <br />inspection, please contact the for a specific date and time. <br />Sincer y, <br />Kent Gorham <br />Environmental Protection Specialist III <br />Certified Mail No: 7006 3450 0000 4880 0766 <br />Return Receipt Requested <br />Office of <br />Office of <br />Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand )unction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines