_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981017 ‎(254)‎

• Permit No: C1981017
• IBM Index Class Name: GENERAL DOCUMENTS
• Doc Name: Bid Documents ‎(IMP)‎ 1994 Correspondence
• Permit Index Doc Type: General Correspondence
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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=i United States Forest White River Sopris Ranger District
�� Department of Service National P.O. Box 309
Agriculture Forest Carbondale, CO 81623
[phone]
Reply: 2720/2800
Date: April-13, 1994
Michael B. Long
Division Geology and Minerals
1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Dear Mr. Long:
As a result of the meeting on February 3, 1994, with personnel from the Office
of Surface Mining, U. S. Forest Service, and your agency concerning the status
of roads on National Forest during the reclamation of Coal Basin, we have
addressed and clarified our position on how we would like the roads on National
Forest addressed during reclamation.
There is in effect at this time an approved reclamation plan submitted as a
part of Mid-Continent Resource's 1987 application to renew the permit for their
Coal Basin mining operations. Since that time, we have taken another and
fresher look as to how the National Forest portion of Coal Basin should look
after reclamation is finished. This look has been tempered by the following
facts. Our management direction is now leaning towards a valley that is open
to a backcountry type of recreation. Our fiscal constraints due to reduced
budgets are now deep enough that we need to look at all expenditures for
reductions including road maintenance ones.
Additionally, when the reclamation plan was reviewed, it was anticipated that
reclamation would be not be done until the coal reserves had been mined at a
point well into the future. It was thought that plenty of future opportunities
would present themselves to provide more concrete input as reclamation looked
more feasible.
With these facts in mind, we wish to have the following items considered as
reclamation activities continue in Coal Basin:
1 . We do not need or want a road system in Coal Basin. Management area
direction in the Forest Plan is emphasis on non-motorized recreation
opportunities. Currently, I have one application for access to a private
parcel on hand, but for the general area in Coal Basin, there is not an
identified need for motorized road access to the area above the trailhead.
I also do not have a desire to assume any additional road responsibilities
that will require the resources of the American public to maintain after
reclamation is finished.
2. We would like to have a naturally functioning drainage system where
man-caused environmental damage is not occurring in the ecosystem such as
erosion leading to soil loading to the streams in Coal Basin.
Caring for the Land and Serving People
FS-6200-28(7-82)