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l 07/06/93 14:14 as( 362609 OSM ALBUQ FO ►-►-► CO/DMG <br /> U <br /> --- urn AL�su�l �U 003/004 <br /> 07/06/93 10:50 $30� 777 0557 Carolyn Johnso__ totoz <br /> underground part of the coal stacking/conveyor area are an <br /> imminent danger to public health and safety. These are located <br /> between* the rock tunnel and the warehouse. Only strips of yellow <br /> tape surround the openings; nothing effectively prevents any <br /> person, animal or vehicle from falling in. The mine area is not <br /> secured from the general public; people can enter the area by <br /> foot, horseback, or all terrain vehicle at many points. Local <br /> residents and tourists are attracted to the extensive White River <br /> National Forest lands within the mine permit boundary. A number <br /> of people have died or been seriously injured in Colorado by <br /> falling into mime openings. <br /> Ms. Diane Delaney (who now manages the site for Pitkin Iron <br /> and formerly managed it for Mid Continent) told us she has seen <br /> an increase in hikers and hunters coming into the area since <br /> active mining stopped two years ago. <br /> 2. Dutch Creek Flume. The large co,t..rete flume conveying <br /> Dutch Creek into Coal Creek below the processing area is badly <br /> damaged and presents an imminent harm of significant <br /> environmental damage. Water flows under and around the flume - <br /> as well as over it - and on-going erosion is undercutting the <br /> flume and cutting into the adjacent area, which appears to be <br /> coal waste. The flume appears to be cracked, and much of the <br /> flume structure is some distance from solid ground. The vertical <br /> apron of the flume appears suspended and without adequate support <br /> to keep it from collapsing completely at any moment . The <br /> operator ha's placed a thin, long orange-painted piece of steel. <br /> rod behind the flume as a temporary measure. This does not <br /> provide any reliable support and certainly has not kept the water <br /> from flowing around and under the flume. If the flume were to <br /> partly or completely collapse, we believe Coal Creek would be <br /> damaged by sedimentation and material from the flume would`be <br /> carried into it. Mr . Waldron and Ms. Delaney told us Dutch Creek <br /> was now Flowing at several hundred gallons per minute. This <br /> amount of water has considerable erosive power which could be <br /> increased many fold with a summer thunderstorm or rapid snow <br /> melt. <br /> 3 . Waste Piles. Two waste pile areas present an imminent <br /> harm of significant environmental damage to water quality and <br /> land stability. <br /> Al;,�) <br /> The coal waste pile to the east (and downstream) from <br /> the flume area is sliding and eroding into the ditch and Coal <br /> Creek. The cribbing put in to shore up the pile - which we <br /> estimate contains over one million cubic yards of coal, waste and <br /> refuse - -has rotted and collapsed in many areas . Sections of the <br /> ditch at the toe of the pile do not appear to be fully <br /> functioning. Material sliding into Coal Creek would likely cause <br /> 'black water ' pollution again; many times in the past , the mine <br /> operator has contaminated Coal Creek and the Crystal River with <br /> 'black water ' pollution and we believe immediate steps must be <br /> taken to prevent another occurrence. <br /> 2 <br />