HomeMy WebLinkAbout20180625.tiffUnit d States Department of the Interior
OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING
Reclamation and Enforcement
Western Region Office
1999 Broachlay, Suite 3320
Denver, CO 80202-3050
FEB 2 0 2018
Dear Sir or Madam:
ANDS
RECEIVED
FEB 2 2 2013
WELD COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
Each year the United States Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
and Enforcement (OSMRE), and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Division of
Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS), jointly evaluate DRMS's programs for regulating coal
mining and for reclaiming abandoned mine lands in Colorado. We determine how effectively
the DRMS coal regulatory program is (1) ensuring that land reclamation on coal mines is
contemporaneous and successful, (2) preventing offsite impacts to lands and waters adjacent to
coal mine permit areas, and (3) providing service to its customers. We also determine how
effectively the DRMS Inactive Mine Reclamation (IMR) program is using funds provided under
the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) to accomplish the objectives of Title
IV, Section 405 of SMCRA. Our evaluation process may include the selection of specific coal
mining and land reclamation topics which we use to evaluate these criteria.
At the end of each evaluation period, OSMRE writes reports addressing DRMS's effectiveness
in implementing its coal regulatory and IMR programs. The Annual Evaluation Summary
Reports are accessible through the OSMRE website at: http://odocs.osmre.gov/. Our next
oversight evaluation period is from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.
We are requesting your comments on OSMRE's oversight process for both the coal regulatory
and IMR programs, recommendations for evaluation topics, and suggestions for improving our
future Annual Reports. We are also providing you the opportunity to discuss ideas and concerns
pertinent to our programs with OSMRE's Denver Regional Office.
If you have any suggestions or questions on our annual evaluation process, or if you would like
to initiate a discussion with OSMRE's Denver Regional Office, please contact us by March 30,
2018. You may e-mail us at cbelka@osmre.gov, phone (303) 293-5020, or mail us a letter at the
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Denver Field Division, Attn: Christine
Belka, 1999 Broadway, Suite 3320, Denver, Colorado 80202. If you prefer to receive this annual
outreach letter by email in the future, please provide us with your email address.
Sincerely,
7'
Christine Belka
Senior Regulatory Program Specialist / OSMRE / Denver Field Branch
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Regulatory Oversight Team:
Christine Belka (OSMRE), Dan Hernandez (DRMS), Dan MacKinnon (OSMRE), Tom Medlin
(OSMRE), and Jason Musick (DRMS).
Inactive Mine Reclamation Oversight Team:
Dan MacKinnon (OS `E), Tom Medlin (OSMRE), and Jeff Graves (DRMS).
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