_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981017 ‎(219)‎

• Permit No: C1981017
• IBM Index Class Name: GENERAL DOCUMENTS
• Doc Name: Bid Documents ‎(IMP)‎
• Permit Index Doc Type: General Correspondence
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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STATE OF COLORADO
* *; Roy Romer, Governor
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DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
MINED LAND RECLAMATION DIVISION
FRED R. BANTA, Director
DATE: November 9, 1988
T0: Candace Thompson
FROM: Jim Pendleton
RE: Coal Basin M' es - it Renewal - Mine Benches & Haul Roads
(Permit # C-81-017)
In response to your request, I have reviewed Chapter V of the Coal Basin Mines
Permit Renewal Application and the supplemental materials submitted by
Mid-Continent Resources (MCR), regarding backfilling and reclamation of the
mine benches and haul roads at the Coal Basin Mines. In completing my review
I have revisited earlier permit and revision materials submitted by MCR.
The haul roads and mine benches within Coal Basin predated the permanent
program permit issuance. The permanent program permit for the Coal Basin
Mines required MCR to develop a detailed backfilling & grading plan for the
extensive system of haul roads and the five mine benches within the permit
area. Two stipulations were imposed upon approval of the 1983 permit to
ensure timely completion of this task. Stipulation #6 required the completion
of a thorough geotechnical investigation and stability analysis to develop
backfilling & grading plans for each of the five mine benches. Stipulation #8
required MCR to complete a thorough geotechnical mapping of the 15 miles of
haul roads, in order to categorize the reclamation situations encountered
throughout the mined area. Further, Stipulation #8 required MCR to develop
typical reclamation procedures for each of the typical road stability problem
categories encountered.
MCR responded by committing to fulfilling these Stipulations in a three phase
approach. Phase I consisted of conducting a detailed mapping of the haul
roads and mine benches and the submission of a report, prepared by Geo-Hydro,
Inc. The Phase I report was approved by the Division in January of 1984.
Phase II consisted of the preparation and submittal of a detailed backfilling
and grading reclamation design for the mine benches and haul roads. These
design documents were completed and submitted by MCR. Phase III included
verification of the proposed reclamation techniques through the establishment
and monitoring of test plots near the #4 Mine bench. Four test plots were
installed by MCR during the summer of 1984. These plots were monitored
annually through fall of 1987, after which a report of findings was submitted
to the Division. The Phase III report was reviewed by the Division and
approved in February of 1988. The four test plots were representative of the
categories of reclamation problem areas detected during the Phase I mapping.
The four test plots employed the reclamation techniques proposed as a portion
of the Phase II detailed reclamation plan. The three year observation program
215 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado 80203-2273 Tel.[phone]