1993-11-15_PERMIT FILE - C1981017

• Permit No: C1981017
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 11/15/1993
• Doc Name: Request for federal; Intervention ‎(Part 1of 2)‎
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

mine effluent. The revision imposed upon Resources by the
Division required that a water treatment plant capable of
removing coal fines from the mine effluent be utilized prior to
further mine water discharges during coal production. In other
words, the mine could not discharge water from the mine so long
as coal was being produced unless the water treatment plant was
installed and operating.
Upon cessation of mining in 1991, the quality of the water
discharging from the mine entries improved dramatically in regard
to suspended solids. This can be verified by comparing both OSM
and Division water quality samples with pre-closure data.
Since permit revocation, the Division continues to write
violations related to hydrologic concerns. Failure to abate the
violations results in the issuance of Cessation Orders as
appropriate. In addition, the Division continues to monitor the
quality of the water discharged from the mine by taking samples.
Toxins in the Crystal River
The Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association is
concerned that certain unspecified toxins have been released from
the Coal Basin Mine and have impacted the macroinvertebrate life
in the Crystal River. This concern stems from a statement
contained in a data report prepared by the Colorado Division of
Wildlife and the U. S. Forest Service (Appendix 12) . Page 11,
paragraph two of the report states that it is possible that ". . .a
non-selective toxicant, possibly from chemicals used in the coal
mine operation affecting these ecosystems. . . " may be responsible
for an observed decrease in macroinvertebrate diversity in the
lower Crystal River.
Because the Division does not employ specialists in the field of
macroinvertebrates, an outside consultant was employed to
evaluate the data report and the accompanying narrative (Appendix
12) . The consultant found that the report as presented was too
loosely constructed and the data too limited to provide for any
definitive conclusions. The consultant continued on to state
that conclusions offered in the report are not substantiated by
data. Further, the lack of supporting water quality data,
without which a true representation of the macroinvertebrate life
cannot be made, flaws the report.
It is unfortunate that unsubstantiated claims of environmental
damage mislead the public. However, the Division is aware of the
public concern that some manner of hazardous materials have been
improperly disposed of at the Coal Basin Mine. The Division
intends to conduct an environmental audit of the mine, focusing
on the Rock Tunnel Refuse Disposal Facility in 1994, dependent
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