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through the area the day before the tour, and ultimately less than ten people attended the tour. <br /> All three tours of the site generated very positive articles in local and regional papers. It is <br /> thought that the community has a much greater degree of trust and confidence in the Division <br /> now than it has in the past, largely due to the increased participation in the community and due to <br /> the willingness to discuss the reclamation process at Coal Basin. <br /> The Division also strengthened its working relationship with other governmental agencies <br /> regarding Coal Basin. Both the Forest Service and the Office of Surface Mining were relatively <br /> active at the site in 1996. The Division spent a total of about eight working days with Forest <br /> Service personnel in the field in 1996 discussing past and conceptual reclamation. Forest Service <br /> representatives from the District and Regional offices have visited the site in conjunction with <br /> the Division. These site visits were held for the purpose of discussing the reclamation concepts <br /> which the Division will implement within the 405 acre facilities area. The Forest Service offered <br /> ideas and suggestions to modify the concepts, and where appropriate, these are being adopted by <br /> the Division. <br /> At the end of the construction season, the Division and Forest Service representatives toured the <br /> roads reclaimed north of the Rock Tunnel. The Forest Service generally approved of the <br /> reclamation efforts undertaken along roads E, F, and G. The Forest Service stated that the <br /> majority of their concerns regarding road reclamation which they have expressed over the past <br /> four or so years had been addressed during reclamation. <br /> Representatives of the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) visited the site on at least four occasions <br /> during 1996. The OSM representatives viewed areas reclaimed during 1995, reclamation <br /> construction occurring in 1996, and discussed future reclamation projects with Division staff. <br /> The concepts and construction practices were carefully explained to the OSM staff, with benefits <br /> and possible downfalls of any particular reclamation method or concept openly discussed. The <br /> OSM staff expressed support for the projects undertaken and the underlying concepts being <br /> employed. <br /> As in 1996, public participation at Coal Basin has been encouraged, and in fact has increased <br /> dramatically. The Division was actively involved with two community based organizations <br /> throughout the year, attending local meetings and hosting tours of the site. In addition, the <br /> Division began to cultivate active educational partnerships with two local schools, Colorado <br /> Rocky Mountain School in Carbondale, and the Aspen Middle School of Aspen. <br /> The Division has hosted a number of working groups at the site in 1997. The U.S. Forest <br /> Service Regional Management Team visited the site in the early summer, while the Forest <br /> Management Team was at the site later in the year. <br /> The Office of Surface Mining sent a two person team to the site in September, 1997 to help <br /> establish an on-the-ground `footprint' of the Dutch Creek Diversion. This task needed to be <br /> accomplished in order that pre-construction work could begin on schedule in the fall of 1998. <br /> 6 <br />