Laserfiche WebLink
a0,0640 <br />,0-OXBOW MINING, LLC <br />3737 Hwy 133 P.O. Box 535 Somerset, Colorado 81434 USA Tel (970)929-5122 Fax <br />(970)929-5177 <br />December 21, 2009 <br />Mr. Ryan Taylor <br />District Minerals Administrator <br />USFS, Paonia Ranger District <br />P.O. Box 1030 <br />Paonia, Co. 81428 <br />RE: Response to November 19, 2009 Letter - File Code 2820-4 <br />TR-65 Application for Additional Gob Vent Boreholes. <br />Oxbow Mining LLC, CDRMS Permit No. C-1981-022 <br />Dear Mr. Taylor, <br />The purpose of this letter is to respond to the cited letter from the USFS regarding Oxbow's TR- <br />65 Application for 12 gob ventilation boreholes and 2.0 miles of new, temporary light use road <br />located on lands managed by the GMUG. <br />We understand the USFS is concerned whether our TR-65 proposal will encounter any >60% <br />slopes or geologic hazards requiring relief from Federal coal lease stipulations. Oxbow has <br />flagged the road alignments and pad locations in the field and found there are no such features <br />requiring further consideration. <br />The USFS also requested how drilling fluids will be managed. Each drill pad area will contain a <br />reserve or "mud" pit designed to contain drill cuttings and any fluids used for drilling. We drill <br />using water to lift cuttings from the borehole. When needed, we use a foaming agent (a "soap") <br />to aid in the effectiveness of the water to move cuttings. The attached copy of the MSDS for the <br />F-485 foaming agent indicates no hazardous ingredients. Upon completion of drilling and <br />borehole case setting activities the drilling equipment will demob from the site. The liquids and <br />cuttings in the mud pit will be mixed with surrounding pad materials to solidify, stabilize and <br />bury the pit. Eventually, the entire buried pit will be covered by the subsequent final regrading of <br />pad materials and final seeding activities. <br />In summary, Oxbow does not anticipate any conditions where we will require relief from Lease <br />stipulations. <br />With respect to the issue of activities located within an inventoried roadless area, we remind the <br />USFS of District Judge Clarence A. Brimmer's August 12, 2008 Decision in Case No. 07-CV- <br />17-CAB. Please recall that the Court ordered that the 2001 Roadless Rule be permanently <br />enjoined. As such, the 2001 Roadless Rule is clearly not in effect in Colorado, and the GMUG <br />must manage the lands in accordance with the current Amended Land and Resource <br />0 Page 1