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<br />Richard D. Lamm <br />Governor <br />• <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />David H. Getches, Executive Director <br />MINED LAND RECLAMATION DI\ <br />DAVID C. SHELTON, Director <br />November 4, 1986 <br />Mr. Larry Porter <br />Acting Area Manager <br />Bureau of Land Management <br />Grand Junction Resource Area <br />764 Horizon Drive <br />Grand Junction, CO 81501 <br />RE: Powderhorn Coal Company Exploration Abandonment on Federal Coal Leases <br />C-024998 and C-029889 <br />Dear Mr. Porter: <br />The Division has received your October 18, 1986 correspondence regarding <br />Powderhorn Coal Company's October, 1985 request to leave open a segment of <br />light duty access road leading to drill sites PCC-09 and PCC-10 until the fall <br />of 1988. Powderhorn's request was reviewed by the Division and approved on <br />October 18, 1985 as a minor revision to their approved permit. The Division <br />staff considered BLM's October 25, 1985 recommendation that the approval be <br />given on a year to year basis, however, our staff felt that Powderhorn Coal's <br />commitments to install appropriate erosion control devices along the road and <br />to control access to this segment of road were sufficient to allow the road to <br />remain open fora three year period. <br />The Division understand's the BLM's concern over leaving the road open for an <br />extended period of time, however our staff feels that with proper maintenance <br />and access control, the existence of the road will not create any significant <br />environmental problems. To ensure this, Powderhorn Coal has committed to <br />seeding the road surface this fall with the seed mix recommended by the BLM. <br />If access control proves to be a problem, the Division will require that the <br />entrance to the road be sufficiently blocked to prevent vehicular access. <br />Powderhorn Coal has recently submitted a notice of temporary cessation of <br />operations extending beyond a 30 day period. Neither the operator nor the <br />Division is able to determine how long the mining operation will be idle, <br />however the Division does not feel it prudent to immediately begin requiring <br />rec]amation of certain portions of the operation without ar(y reliable <br />information on how long the temporary cessation of operations will remain in <br />effect. Powderhorn Coal has indicated that some future use of this road <br />423 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado 80203 Tel. (303} 866-3567 <br />~ III 1111111111111111 <br />