_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981017 (247)

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utilize Federal civil penalty funds for reclamation construction at Coal Basin. In early October, OSM officials from Denver visited the site, at which time the funding proposal and specific reclamation tasks to be accomplished with the funds were discussed. The OSM officials encouraged the State to apply for the funds. A proposal for Federal funding of two projects was submitted in November, 1996. The two proposed projects are the relocation of Dutch Creek through the office area, and removal of materials from the west end of the Old Refuse Pile. Neither project is contemplated in the reclamation plan, thus potentially making them ineligible for funding through the liquidation plan. To date, a response from OSM has not been received. 1997 PROJECT RECOMWENDATIONS Funding Projection A spreadsheet detailing funding of the reclamation account by the liquidation plan, and reclamation project expenses is attached to this report. The spreadsheet details amounts of cash received through property sales as dictated by the liquidation plan. It also accounts for monies expended by the Division on the reclamation related projects accomplished since 1994. The spreadsheet also provides a running balance of reclamation funds available. The spreadsheet is subject to revision as more expenditure information is made available through COFERS. About $600,000 is held by the State Treasurer at this time. It is estimated that this amount of money will be adequate to fund the proposed 1997 reclamation construction. Spring Maintenance Phone Bid Three areas of concern at Coal Basin will need to be monitored and repaired and/or maintained as necessary before, during and after spring high country runoff. Dependent upon the intensity of the winter and subsequent runoff, this could be a minor project, as in 1996, or a major undertaking, as in 1995. The bid is for on-call, or stand-by, dozer and backhoe machine time. Start and end dates are weather dependent, but they are estimated to be May 4, and June 23, 1997, respectively. Roads B, C, D Project Reclamation of the roads west and south of the Rock Tunnel including the Huntsman Ridge Road, Roads C and D, and the majority of Road B, will be accomplished. The bid will be similar to the 1996 Roads Project undertaken north of the Rock Tunnel, however a number of changes will be made to the bid based upon the experience gained in 1996. The most significant changes are expected to be increasing the road cross sectional gradient to between 2% and 5% to the outside; ripping of all road segments, including 20