2009-05-05_REVISION - C1981048

• Permit No: C1981048
• IBM Index Class Name: REVISION
• Doc Date: 5/5/2009
• Doc Name: Letters Regarding Termination of Jurisdiction
• From: DRMS
• To: Landowners
• Type & Sequence: SL6
• Email Name: KAG
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
COLORADO
Denver, Colorado 80203 D
IVIS o N OF
Phone: [phone] RECLAMATION
FAX: [phone] MINING

SAFETY
May 5, 2009
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Las Animas County Commissioners
Room 104
200 East First Street
, Harris D. Sherman
Trinidad, CO 81082 Executive Director
Permit No. C-81-048
Trinidad Basin Mine
RE: Termination of Jurisdiction Ronald W. Cattany
,
, Division Director
Natural Resource Trustee
Dear Las Animas County Commissioners:
The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (Division) has begun the process of terminating its
jurisdiction over the reclaimed Trinidad Basin Coal Mine (TBM). The permit area and mine site are located about 5.5
miles west of the Ludlow exit on I-25 in Delagua Canyon in Las Animas County. The disturbed and reclaimed areas are
in Sections 15 and 22, T31 S R65 W of the 6`t' Principle Meridian. The permit area under consideration for termination of
jurisdiction and final liability release is approximately 1125 acres of which approximately 250 acres was disturbed for
surface operations and subsequently reclaimed. As a government agency, you are being notified in accordance with the
Rules for termination of jurisdiction.
The TBM coal mine was originally permitted by Trinidad Basin Mining, Inc., approved by the Division in 1982.
The projected life of the mine 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, the Mined Land Reclamation Board (MLRB)
suspended the TBM mining permit. The Division was notified by the operator of the cessation of mining operations
in November 1985 and the operator initiated reclamation operations. Following a another series of violations that
occurred 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 forfeited to the State of Colorado.
Since the permit was revoked and the bond was forfeited, the Division has completed reclamation at the site utilizing
all of the available bond monies. The Division has conducted regular and periodic inspections to document any
undesirable conditions or instability in the reclamation work completed. Stability of the reclaimed land, successful
revegetation of grasses, forbs and shrubs, minimization of hydrologic impacts within the permitted area, and
prevention of hydrologic impacts outside the permitted area demonstrate that the site has been successfully reclaimed
over the past 12 years. Current post-mining land use of rangeland for cattle grazing and ranchette development has
been achieved and demonstrated over the revegetation liability period.
This notification requires no specific action on your part. If you have any questions, you may contact me at the
phone number listed above. The Division will also be conducting a final inspection during the summer 2009, at a
time yet to be determined. Should you choose to attend this inspection, please contact me for a specific date and
time.
Sinc ely,
Kent Gorham
Environmental Protection Specialist III
Office of Office of
Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines