Laserfiche WebLink
Site History <br />Mine Site Inspection <br />Mine Name: Sunlight <br />Permittee: (bond forfeiture) <br />Permit ID #: C- 1981 -046 <br />Inspection Date: June 5, 2012 9:00 — 10:00 <br />Weather Conditions: Warm (70's), dry, partly cloudy <br />Participants: <br />Christine Belka, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) ID# 182 <br />Jim Stark, Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) <br />This was a partial oversight inspection conducted in conjunction with a special focus evaluation. The <br />special focus evaluation assessed the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety's (DRMS) Prevention of <br />Off-Site Impacts on Bond Forfeiture Sites. DRMS has approved a reduced inspection frequency and <br />inspects this reclaimed bond forfeiture site once per quarter. <br />The Sunlight Mine is a revoked underground coal mine site approximately 8 miles south and west of <br />Glenwood Springs, Colorado along County Road 117. Approximately 5.24 acres of surface area were <br />disturbed and 7.31 acres were affected (surface disturbance plus undermined areas). <br />The former permittee, Garfield Energy Corporation, repeatedly failed to meet the criteria of the DRMS's <br />program which resulted in an order to show cause as to why the permit should not be suspended or <br />revoked (based on the pattern of violations). DRMS revoked the permit and forfeited the $11,800.00 <br />bond on April 22, 1987. DRMS began reclamation in 1990. An air intake adit collapsed in 1994, <br />necessitating additional work. Cleanup of additional equipment and debris and reseeding of re- <br />disturbed areas was completed in 1999. DRMS has expended all funds from the forfeited bond on this <br />site. <br />Field Evaluation <br />The upland diversion is stable and well- vegetated (see photo 7482). The reclaimed upper portal and <br />loadout area are also stable and well- vegetated, although houndstongue (a List B noxious weed) is <br />prevalent throughout the area. This upper area is steep but does not exhibit rilling or gullying, and there <br />were no observable traces of sediment leaving the area (see photo 7483). <br />The road bench to the lower portal and vent shaft remains in place and vegetation is established along <br />that corridor (see photo 7484). The out slope of the road bench is rather steep, but trees add some <br />stability and a 3' — 4' berm surrounds the lowland area assisting to retain sediment on site — although no <br />evidence of sediment traversing the lowland area is apparent. Vegetation is well established in the <br />lowland area, which also provides a sediment filter prior to runoff leaving the site (see photo 7486). <br />Runoff from the former permit area reports to the Fourmile Creek; a significant portion (approximately <br />75 %) enters through the Fourmile Gauging Station diversion (see photo 7485). <br />