2012-04-03_REPORT - C1981028

• Permit No: C1981028
• IBM Index Class Name: Report
• Doc Date: 4/3/2012
• Doc Name: 2011 Annual Reclamation Report Review
• From: DRMS
• To: Coors Energy Company
• Annual Report Year: 2011
• Permit Index Doc Type: Annual Reclamation Report
• Email Name: JLE
• Email Name: SB1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
COL O RA D O
D IV I S I O N o f
Denver, Colorado 80203
N
Phone: [phone]
M I N I N
FAX: [phone]
—&—
SAFETY
April 3, 2012
John W. Hickenlooper
Governor
Mr. Donald MacDonald
Coors Energy Company
Mike King
P.O. Box 467
Executive Director
Golden, CO 80402
Loretta Pineda
Director
RE: Keenesburg Mine, Permit C- 1981 -028
2011 Annual Reclamation Report, Review
Dear Mr. MacDonald:
The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (Division) has reviewed the above referenced report.
The results of the review are summarized below.
The Division has two concerns with the 2011 ARR:
1. There is an inconsistency with the Mass Balance (pg. 107) portion of the Annual Reclamation Report.
2. Cheatgrass is a noxious weed and should not be counted towards revegetation success. Also, only the
approved amount of relative cover of annualsibiennial plants can contribute to revegetation success.
Please see details below and provide responses to these concerns to assure compliance with Rule 2.04.13.
General
Coors Energy Company (CEC) submitted the 2011 Annual Hydrology and Reclamation Report for the
Keenesburg Strip Mine (permit C- 1981 -028) on February 28, 2012. On page 117 of the permit application
package (permit), CEC has committed to submitting this report by the end of February each year. The filing date
of the ARR is in compliance with the approved permit. The hydrology portion of this report is still being
reviewed by the Division. The remainder of this letter addresses the Annual Reclamation Report (ARR) portion.
No new areas at the Keenesburg Strip Mine were disturbed by CEC operations in 2011. No areas were seeded,
inter - seeded, or reseeded in 2011. CEC continued to place ash and spoil cover in the south end of B pit.
CEC reports that in 2011 the Keenesburg mine had a total of approximately 438 disturbed acres. Of these
disturbed acres, 251 acres had been backfilled and graded by the end of 2011. No new areas received topsoil (aka
topsand) in 2011, keeping the total topsoiled acreage to 251 acres. The total seeded area is 251 acres. These
acreage values agree with values reported in 2010 by CEC.
DRMS approved a Phase III bond release, SL -06, for 42.29 acres in January 2012. This value is not reflected in
the ARR form since approval of the release occurred in 2012. The bond release acreage totals for 2011 are
correct and are reported in the following manner:
Phase I released 229 acres Phase II released 216 acres Phase III released 165 acres.
Office of Office of
Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines