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Colowyo Coal Company <br />ter. 5731 State Highway 13 <br />O Meeker, CO 81641 <br />T:970-824-1532 <br />Mo+• <br />Q June 20, 2011 <br />TO\ <br />Mrs. Janet Binns <br />Environmental Protection Specialist <br />Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />RE: <br />Dear Mrs. Binns, <br />Colowyo Coal Company, L.P., Colowyo Mine, has submitted a request for Phase III Bond <br />Release in areas of the 1978-1999 reclaimed areas. Colowyo has requested a total of <br />987.32 acres be Phase III Bond Liability released. This acreage represents areas in the <br />East Pit and West Pit respectively. <br />Per our conversation during the Division's inspections earlier this year it was noted that <br />the Streeter Well and Streeter Fill Piezometer needed to be plugged, capped, and <br />abandoned prior to completion of the Phase III bond release application. It was noted to <br />the Division that due to location of the wells on the Streeter Fill that Colowyo could not <br />safely maneuver equipment to either location for the capping procedures. The Division <br />directed Colowyo to ensure the Streeter Well and Streeter Fill Piezometer were plugged <br />at a minimum due to the lack of access to either site for cutting and capping the casing. <br />The Streeter Fill Piezometer was completed to a depth of 110 feet in depth with a two <br />inch casing. On June 16, 2010, Colowyo packed in three and quarter bags of Casper Mud <br />Bentonite Chips which were utilized to plug the piezometer to the top of the casing. <br />Colowyo also place a lock with an unknown combination on the piezometer cap after <br />plugging was completed. <br />The Streeter Well was completed to a depth of 260 feet with a 5 inch casing. Colowyo <br />has extremely limited information on the Streeter Well; however, research indicated the <br />Streeter Well collapsed in 1997 at approximately the 114 foot level. Nineteen bags of <br />Casper Mud Bentonite Chips were utilized to plug the well from the collapsed area to the <br />top of the casing. This would indicate that the collapsed depth was plugged to <br />approximately 110 feet which would be inline with the approximately collapsed depth of <br />114 feet. Please see attached photograph of the plugged Streeter Well. <br />The Streeter Fill Piezometer and the Streeter Well were not registered wells with the <br />State of Colorado. Therefore, an abandonment report has not been completed for <br />submittal to the Division of Water Resources.