2011-12-02_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - M1977004

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Grants NM Office Mr. Tony Waldron Colorado Department of Natural Resources Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety 1313 Sherman St., Room 215 Denver, Colorado 80203 RE: HOMESTAKE PITCH RECLAM Reclamation Permit Response to DRMS letter dated Dear Mr. Waldron: 28 November 2011 Homestake Mining Company of California (Homestake) received the above referenced letter on October 7, 2011 with respect to the DMO designation for the Pitch Reclamation Project and related requirements associated with an Environmental Protection Plan (EPP) for the site under current MLRB rules [see C.R.S. Section 34 -32 -116.5 (1) (a)]. In this letter it was outlined that operators have several options that can be pursued to assure current and future compliance with the new EPP component requirements that are to be contained within their site DRMS Reclamation Permit. As you are aware, there has been previous correspondence since 2008 between' the Division and Homestake regarding the DMO designation implications of HB 1161 and subsequent actions taken by the agency to implement the associated requirements of the reclamation act, as amended. We believe that the Pitch Reclamation Project has, and continues to be, in compliance with the Act and related rules and regulations. We further believe that the Reclamation Permit for the site, which has been revised through a number of Technical Revisions over the years, meets the necessary requirements / provisions for having an EPP within the permit. ION PROJECT 77 - o' Homestake Mining Company of California •• P.O. Box 98, Grants, NM 87020 Tele: (505) 287 -4456 • FAX: (505) 287 -9289 Alan D. Cox Project Manager - Pitch 1, a #M77 -004HR /?, mg mg Environmental Protection Plan qi irement_ — The Pitch Project is in the advances stages of reclamation and closure; essentially all activities at the site since the mid- 1980's have been driven by, or associated with, reclamation, revegetation, site closure and related environmental and reclamation monitoring activities. As an in tegral part of these activities, a comprehensive environmental monitoring program has been in place to assure compliance with State agency permits, licenses and related approvals. The site environmental monitoring /compliance program is also intended to measure performance of ongoing reclamation closure activities at the site. Monitoring and compliance data, and interpretation / evaluation of that data, is reported to the DRMS annually through filing of an annual reclamation reports, annual geotechnical reports and other related correspondence / report filings pertaining to site reclamation and closure activities.