Laserfiche WebLink
5. As described in paragraph 1 and 4 above, following prospecting activities, the slope of the waste rock pad <br />will be no greater than 2:1, and the interior slopes of the sedimentation pond will be no greater than 3:1. <br />6. See paragraphs 1 and 5 above with regards to Rule 3.1.5(7). RSAS contacted Jeff Titus, Water <br />Commissioner of District 30 (Animas River Basin), Division 7 (San Juan and Dolores River Basins) of the <br />Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR), on December 20, 2011 by phone and email. DWR <br />confirmed on the phone and through email correspondence that RSAS is not required to obtain water <br />rights in order to utilize the sedimentation pond. The email correspondence with DWR is enclosed with <br />this letter. Between confirmation from DWR and the receipt of a CDPS permit from CDPHE (paragraph 7 <br />below), RSAS believes it has satisfied Rule 3.1.6(1)(a). <br />7. According to Section VII of NOI Forms I and 2, the financial warranty must consist of $2,000 per acre for <br />land to be disturbed, or such other amount as determined by DRMS. Since the affected area under the <br />NOI consists of 2.60 acres RSAS proposes a financial warranty of $5,200 to address the reclamation <br />activities described above and in the NOI. In reference to Rules 3.1.7(8) and 4.2.1(4), groundwater <br />associated with the Project is believed to be wholly contained in the portal and borehole surface discharges <br />described in the NOI. These discharges are regulated as surface waters and comprise a single point source <br />discharge as determined by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) under <br />the Colorado Discharge Permit Systems (CDPS) program. As described in the NOI, RSAS collected water <br />quality data during the past 6 quarters and submitted a CDPS permit application on October 25, 2011. On <br />December 16, 2011 CDPHE issued a DRAFT CDPS permit for the Oyama Tunnel discharge, and a <br />FINAL CDPS permit is likely to be issued during the first quarter of 2012. In addition to receipt of the <br />CDPS permit in 2012, the Oyama Tunnel discharge has been previously permitted on two separate <br />occasions in the 1980s by CDPHE (see description of this in the NOI). As indicated by the present day <br />waste rock footprint, the mining and exploration activities that occurred in the 1980s at the Oyama Tunnel <br />were far more extensive than those proposed under this NOI, yet the hydrologic balance of the site was <br />maintained to the extent that both of the previous discharge permits were released without any <br />contingencies. The previous receipt/release of the discharge permits sets an excellent precedent that the <br />hydrologic setting remains balanced during and after exploration activities. Therefore, because <br />groundwater at the project is routed to the surface and is regulated as a point source discharge by CDPHE, <br />and because previous exploration activities have not adversely affected water quality, RSAS does not <br />propose any reclamation activities that are referenced in Rules 3.1.7(8) or 4.2.1(4). <br />Thank you again for taking the time to review this information, and please Iet me know as soon as possible if <br />you need any further clarification or have any questions. <br />Sincerely; <br />Mike Thompson <br />Principal/Reardon Steel LLC <br />Enclosures: Division of Water Resources email correspondence <br />ec: Wally Erickson, DRMS <br />Maurice Lynch, President/Running Sun Advisory Services LLC <br />John H. Wright, CPG #4828, AIPG, consultant for Running Sun Advisory Services LLC <br />Page 2 of 2 <br />