_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981017 (135)

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STATE OF COLORADO DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY Department of Natural Resources oF,C_ 1313 Sherman St.,Room 215 O Denver,CO 80203 Phone:(303)866-3567 ".1876• FAX:(303)832-8106 Roy Romer Governor Michael B Long Division Director Mr. Robert Hagen, Director Albuquerque Field office Office of Surface Mining 505 Marquette NW, Suite 1200 Albuquerque, NM 87102 RE: TDN X-93-020-244-2 TV-1; Coal Basin Mine (C-81-017) Dear Mr. Hagen: During a phone conversation earlier today, Mr. Gary Fritz of your office indicated that the AFO had two questions related to this off ice Is response to the above-referenced TDN. These questions were: 1. Does the disturbed area at Mine 5 drain to a sediment pond? 2. How is disturbed area runoff from the portal bench outslopes treated in terms of sediment control? 1. A copy of a map of the backfilled Mine 5 area is enclosed. This map was recently submitted to the Division after our inspectors questioned whether an upland diversion would be required above the portal bench. The map accurately reflects the on-the- ground situation as it exists at this time. That is, all of the disturbed area at Mine 5 drains to a sediment pond except for the two small areas labelled as "small exemption areas". The combined area of these two sites is 0. 03 acres. A row of straw bales has been installed at the toe of the small outslope in this area. Runoff passes through the bales prior to entering the adjacent creek. These areas are approved as "SAE's" in the mine permit. 2. TDN X-93-020-244-2 TV-1 cited an alleged violation for failure to minimize erosion. The Division responded to the TDN by issuing NOV C-93-130. Abatement of the NOV entails identifying and remediating erosion on the portal bench outslopes. The NOV did not address treatment of runoff from the outslopes. Presently, runoff from the outslopes of Mines 1, 2 and' 4 passes through pre-law "BAT ponds" . Runoff from one of the outslopes of Mine 3 does not pass through a treatment facility.