2013-03-25_REVISION - C1981022 (3)

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United States USDA Department of Agriculture Brock Bowles CDRMS 1313 Sherman St., Rm 215 Denver, CO 80203 Dear Brock, Sincerely, A tta' 1 i rr . BROY District Ranger Forest Service Paonia Ranger District P.O. Box 1030 N Rio Grande Ave. Paonia, CO 81428 970 -527 -4131 File Code: 2820 Date: March 22, 2013 RECEIVED MAR 252013 Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) has completed its review of Oxbow Mining's Minor Revision 104. This minor revision would provide for the drilling of 3 emergency boreholes on National Forest System (NFS) lands (two gas monitoring, one de- watering). These activities are needed for mine operations because they are currently under a "103(k) order" from MSHA due to a spontaneous combustion event within the Elk Creek Mine. Surface disturbance associated with MR -104 is approximately 1 acre for drill locations on NFS lands and 2.75 acres for a new access road. NFS lands within this lease lie within the Pilot Knob Colorado Roadless Area. This area is also within the area identified as the "North Fork Coal Mining Area" which has an exception for coal mine operations to the prohibition of temporary road building. As a result of our review of the adequacy of measures to protect federal resources and the post mining land use, we identified that the impacts of this technical revision are essentially identical to those already analyzed in Oxbow's previous TR -64, TR -65, and TR -72. Attached is a list of conditions needed to protect federal resources and to support the post mining land use of aspen management, as defined by the GMUG Forest Plan, which are similar to the conditions submitted for the previous mine permit revisions. Please contact Ryan Taylor at rztaylor(fs.fed.us or 970 - 527 -4131 with any questions you may have. ES Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper