2009-10-24_PERMIT FILE - M2009076

• Permit No: M2009076
• IBM Index Class Name: PERMIT FILE
• Doc Date: 10/24/2009
• Doc Name: Post Mining Land Use
• From: DRMS
• To: Venture Resources, Inc.
• Email Name: ACS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
October 24, 2009
Mr. Ryan J. McHale
Venture Resources, Inc. ?r
P.O. Box 1974
Idaho Springs, CO 80452
Re: Post Mining Land Use, Hukill Gulch Millsite, File No. M-2009-076
Dear Mr. McHale:
Harris D. Sherman
Executive Director
Ronald W. Cattany
Division Director
Natural Resource Trustee
The Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS) has reviewed Venture Resources letter dated
October 15, 2009 defending the selection of mining as the current land use and mining/residential as the post
mining land use for the Hukill Gulch Millsite. The defense is based on the Clear Creek County zoning of the
proposed affected land as M1 and M2, which limits the cultural use of the land to mining in the M2 zone, and
to mining and residential in the M1 zone. Clear Creek County zoning is not particularly relevant to the
description of pre- and post- mining land use required to be included in a Mined Land Reclamation Permit
application. The descriptions required are to be selected from the lists provided in the application form, with
the selection being that which best describes the existing and proposed future use of the majority of the
proposed area of affected land. Based on the site description and the reclamation plan provided in the permit
application, rangeland is the correct selection for both pre- and post-mining land use. Rangeland is land on
which the indigenous vegetation is predominantly grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, or shrubs and is managed
as a natural ecosystem. If plants are introduced, they are managed similarly. Rangelands include natural
grasslands, savannas, shrublands, many deserts, tundras, alpine communities, marshes and meadows.
The DRMS will not accept mining as an existing use description for the Hukill Gulch Millsite; mining is
provided as an existing use selection in the permit application form only for existing mines that are amending
their permit. Similarly, DRMS will not accept mining as a description of the post mining land use. The
DRMS has confirmed with Clear Creek County Planning and Zoning Department that the selection of
rangeland or any other non-cultural land use, such as wildlife habitat, will not result in any misunderstandings
with that Department. The DRMS will contact Venture Resources under separate cover to correct the land
use descriptions for the Emma Lode Permit No. M-2008-037
Sincerely,
1
?/Ilen C. Sorenson
Reclamation Specialist
c:\acs files\My Documents 4-19-06 thru\hukill incompleteness letter 2.doc
COLORADO
D I V IS I ON OF
RECLAMATION
MINING
SAFETY
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
Office of Office of
Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines