_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981017 (214)

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Private Property Reclamation Responsibility The Settlement Agreement entered into between the Division, Mid-Continent Resources, MidCon LLC, et al required that the Division accomplish specific reclamation tasks on property owned by MidCon LLC. This work was begun in 1999, and was completed in 2000. The Agreement provides that upon completion of the specified work the Division may execute a document stating that no additional reclamation obligation is attached to the private property. Because the required work has been accomplished, it was recommended that the appropriate documents be drafted to terminate the Divisions reclamation obligations at this area. The Office of the Attorney General has begun to draft such a document, and will forward it to the Division for consideration in early 2002. Because the required work has been completed, it is recommended that this termination of responsibility be executed in 2002. Site Monitoring A monitoring network should be established throughout Coal Basin in order to evaluate the long term success of various reclamation techniques and to document the overall success of reclamation at the site as a whole. Such previously established monitoring points as the weed reference areas, the gully monitoring points at the mine bench outslopes, survey points at the Dutch Creek Diversion, and water quality monitoring points could be combined with vegetative cover reference areas and slope stability monitoring points. The combined,monitoring network would provide a basis for future maintenance work, and as a point of reference when terminating Division responsibilities at the site. Once a comprehensive network is established, the actual field work to make the appropriate measurements could be distributed between Division staff, community volunteers, OSM and the Forest Service. Community Involvement Community involvement and interest in reclamation at Coal Basin is considerable. In the interest of continuing to involve local residents in the reclamation process, tours of the area should be scheduled periodically. Local citizens should be encouraged to volunteer in the reclamation monitoring program as well, in order to foster a sense of community ownership in the Project. Continued involvement of other interested agencies, such as the Forest Service, Division of Wildlife, Department of Public Health and the Environment and the OSM should be encouraged. In order to maintain the opportunity to provide educational opportunities to the local community, school oriented Projects or learning experiences should continue to be offered. In particular, the use of local, high school age interns would be appropriate in establishing the monitoring network, and in accomplishing monitoring field work. Two or three individuals could be employed as paid interns for a three week period every summer. Conceptually, candidates would be nominated by their schools, and would then be interviewed by Division staff prior to being hired and trained. The spring of 2002 would be an ideal time to begin this initiative. cAsgr\dbsn\01 annrpt 9