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Exhibit A <br />COLORADO DEPARTMENT QF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT <br />DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATION <br />WATER QUALITY CONTROL DIVISION <br />NOTICE OF VIOLATION / CEASE AND DESIST ORDER NUMBER: I0- 100601 -1 <br />IN THE MATTER OF: COTTER CORPORATION <br />SCHWARTZWALDER MINE <br />JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO <br />Pursuant to the authority vested in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's (the <br />"Department ") Division of Administration by § §25 -1 -109 and 25 -8 -302, C.R.S. (2009), which authority is <br />implemented through the Department's Water Quality Control Division (the "Division "), and pursuant to <br />§ §25 -8 -602 and 25 -8 -605, C.R.S. (2009), the Division hereby makes the following Findings of Fact and issues <br />the following Notice of Violation / Cease and Desist Order: <br />1. At all times relevant to the violations cited herein, the Cotter Corporation ( "Cotter ") was a New Mexico <br />limited liability company in good standing and registered to conduct business in the State of Colorado. <br />2. Cotter is a "person" as defined under the Water Quality Control Act, §25- 8- 103(13), C.R.S. (2009), and its <br />implementing permit regulations, 5 CCR 1002 -61, §61.2(73). <br />3. The Schwartzwalder mine is an underground uranium mine in Jefferson County near Golder, Colorado <br />(including, but not limited to, the mine and mine building and structures, referred to as the "Facility "). It <br />opened in about 1953 and was acquired by Cotter in 1966. <br />FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW <br />4. Cotter operated the mine. from 1966 until May 2000, when mining operations ceased. In 2000, pumps that <br />dewatered the mine were shut off and the mine was thus allowed to flood. Uranium and other metals have <br />leached from the rock in the mine and are contained within the solution that forms the mine pool. <br />5. Prior to the construction of mine facilities, Cotter placed waste rock from the mine as fill material in the <br />alluvium of Ralston Creek in order to create a pad for mine - related buildings (the "Pad "). Four sump <br />pumps were placed in the Pad and the alluvium of Ralston Creek, and Ralston Creek was routed around <br />the Pad. Mine - related structures were then constructed on the Pad. <br />6. Cotter constructed a water treatment plant ( "WTP ") on site to treat water pumped from the mine and water <br />from the sumps and drains in the Pad and alluvium. <br />Cotter Corporation — Schwartzwalder.Mine <br />Notice of Violation/Cease and Desist Order <br />Page 1 of 7 <br />