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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.0 Applicationef's\ OARREI - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, RC. A SUBRIDI ;RY OF OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CO,RPORATION 1855 CARRION ROAD, LA VERNE, CALIFORNIA 91750 PHONE (714) 593-7421 March 14, 1974 W. C. Milner Garfield County Building Official 2014 Blake Ave. Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81601 CFI`MICAL. FIESEARC?-: DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER!N0 ECONOMIC EVALUATION Dear Bud: Application is hereby made for a Special Use Permit for industrial operations in Sec.25, T9S-R97W, 6th p.m. for construction and use of a mineral disposal dump. An environmental impact statement is enclosed in support of the application. Yours very truly, GARRETT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, INC. Randall T. Chew,III cc: R. D. Ridley Enclosure RTC/lf ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT TO ACCOMPANY APPLICATIONS FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT - MINERAL WASTE DISPOSAL DUMP, MINE 3C, LOGAN WASH OIL SHALE OPERATION. LOCATION AND SCOPE Application is made for a Special Use Permit for a mineral disposal site located in the E1/2 NW1/4 Section 25 T7S - R97W, a side re entrant off the north side of Logan Wash (Figure 1). The site will contain approximately 500 thousand cubic yards of raw oil shale. (See cross sections A -G and Figure 2). Application was previously made for a Conditional Use Permit for construction of a road and mine designated the "3C edit", in this same parcel. The present applicatinn covers the mine dump that will originate from these operations. The material to be dumped will be raw oil shale rock with chemical and physical characteristics virtually identical to those of oil shale talus slopes that now exist beneath the mahogany ledge in the same area. Purpose of the dump, other than servicing mining operations in this parcel will be an experimental site for re - vegetation, compacting, and slope stability experiments. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION The disposal pile at Garrett's 3A Adit, the present operation, was constructed by end dumping plus a small amount of compaction. The dump has proven to be exceptionally stable. Configuration of the canyon suggests that similar methods be used at the 3C adit. No problem is anticipated in maintaining slope and stability of the pile if care is paid to compaction and trimming. WATER Construction of the dump will not have an adverse effect upon underground water. Surface water may be somewhat affected. This is covered under the site rehabilitation section of this appli- cation. The material being dumped is raw oil shale and should not affect either the salinity or the chemical balance of the water. USE OF ADJACENT LAND The maximum extent of flow of dumped material during cloudburst, etc. is expected to cease approximately 400 feet from the property line. Extent of the material as dumped will be about 800 feet from the property. WILDLIFE AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS Creation of the dump will not effect the migration routes or use patterns for wildlife. No attractions should exist that would bring wildlife to the area. Existing vegetation will be altered. Return of the area to its original vegetal growth is covered in the Rehabil- itation Plan. TRUCK & AUTO TRAFFIC The dump will not create any additional auto or truck traffic in the area. EMPLOYMENT There will be no increase in employment due to construction of the dump. DISTANCE FROM ABUTTING PROPERTY The toe of the pile will be approximately 800 feet from the nearest abutting property. VISUAL IMPACT The dump is located 13.2 miles from DeBeque, 7 miles from the county road on Roan Creek. The area is not visible from any existing public access roads, hiking trails, etc. INDUSTRIAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Volume of Sound - The volume of sound generated by equipment used to build the pile will be from 30 to 50 decibels. This should be the only sound inherent to the construction and maintenance of the area. Vibration- No vibrations will eminate beyond property lines. Emissions of Smoke & Particulate Matter - No smoke will be emitted into the atmosphere. It is estimated that the pile will contain 5% dust. The pile of the 3A mine site has not been the source of an unusual amount of blowing dust. Emission of Heat, Glare, Radiation & Fumes - There will be no emissions of heat, glare, radiation or fumes from the pile. General - There will be no storage of flammables or explosive solids or gasses at the dump No materials or wastes will be deposited in such a manner that they may be transfered off the property by any reasonably forseeable natural causes or forces. The dump consists of "as mined" rock only and will not present a fire hazard nor be attractive to insects or rodents. No potential hazards are anticipated that would necessitate the installation of safeguards against water pollution. SITE REHABILITATION 1. TOPOGRAPHY - The topography in the area is very steep (see Figure 1) and the pile will fill only that part of the canyon below the adit benches (less that moved to the revegetation study plot). Slopes will be no steeper than the angle of repose of 36° as are natural talus slopes in the canyon. The initial upper adit volume will be 58,00 yd3, lower adit volume will be 60,000 yd3 for a total initial dump of 118,000 yd3 or 2,600,000 tons of raw shale. 2. DRAINAGE - Natural drainage should not be affected by the dumping as material will not be dumped across a major stream channel. Should the need become apparent during construction of the dump, runoff will be carried across the pile in a suitable lined channel and conducted down the slope to the natural channel. 3. LEACHING - The material to be dumped is raw oil shale, not spent, (retorted) shale. No leaching will be required. 4: PLANTING, MULCHING, ETC. - The applicant has retained VTN Colorado Corporation to perform a preliminary environmental analysis on its entire Logan Wash property. This study is expected to be complete by May 1, 1974. In addition, the applicant has planned, in cooperation with the Soil Conservation Service of the US Department of Agriculture, a revegetation study to determine species that will best germinate and reproduce topsoil, fertilizer, irrigation re- quirements and planting schedules for revegetation raw oil shale disposal piles. This latter study will begin during the summer of 1974 and will require two years to complete. Other studies on revegetation and utilization of disposal piles are contemplated also. It is expected that revegetation of raw oil shale can be more readily accomplished than with spent shale. Results of these experiments and the plans for final revegetation of the completed pile will be presented to the county planner and commissioner when they become available. In general, it is expected that the pile will be seeded with native and/or introduced grass species. 5. PROTECTION - Fences will be constructed as necessary to protect the areas being revegetated from livestock and big game grazing during the establishment period. 6. LAND REQUIREMENTS - The land is owned by the applicant in fee. A total of 9.25 acres will be involved. tivccslr j st°t7 v�Nv\ ]l94 lr Imo_ - REFERENCE MAP TOWNSHIP 9 SOUTH, RANGE 97 WEST, 6th PRIME MERIDIAN SCALE 1:24000, 1"= 2000' ,008 Sflld 3N11 )1183d02ld V N01103 S w 0 0 c D X m NOLLO3S SS02:10 3O 13 ADJUSTED ANGLE OF REPOSE 31° 06Z 33SNV 3dOlS 39Vel3AV w 0 0 1 i 1 1 -4 -4 0 0 0 0 1 1 CO (Co 0 0 0 v rn H r z m r c c0 0 0 9 N01103S N 0 rm om m< Dco o cn A 0 C c- > D X m m 0 -a 0z mcg o r m 00 cn cn m m n 0 --4 co 5 r Z c0 c0 0 00 W W W 0 0 -4 rn 0 0 0 o6Z 319Nd 3d0 -1S 33V2d3A' r 1 ? 00 0 0 00 O rn -a r z m v r 0 0 0 0 NO110 7) S N' o SQUARE FT OF CROSS SECTION 26233 012 3SOd3a dO 31ONV a31Sf1PaV 09E 319NV 3dO1S BEV 3c.V ow A cn rn m � 0 0 0 0 0 o 0 0 0 0 0 0 v 0 Z3 0 m -u r z rn v r co 0 0 0 NOLL3 S N 0 NO1103S SSal0 3O 13 aiVf1OS o:9Z 3SOd32d 3O 3-19NV aa±sn ab otZ 310, NV 3dO1S 30V2:13/W W 0 0 01 0) --.100 O O CO CO 00 O o o r xm O -I m �Z �m r z m -u r c N O O N01103S SS02:10 30 13 3itff10S CA a) op a) a) 012 3S0d32d A0 31SNV a3isnrad 0L2 31JNV 3d01S 30tMGAV M c r v m m m < x -I D CO _0 O H G1 1 I I I I I W 41 (]1 a) -4 0) (0 O O O O O p p 99282 NOI103S SS0210 AO Id 3?:IVflOS 3SOd38 3O 319Nv a3iSflrav W 0 319NV 3d0lS 39VaBAV N tO 0 C m-13 r -0 m m < X D 71 (n CD o Mm o --I 0 0 w mo -z -<m r z m v r c C-.74 0 w g con rn -4 CA co 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 "0—I r o -z < G) r z m -v r C :P O O W 0 0 I 41 0 0 1 cnO O 0 0 1 Co 0 0 L ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT TO ACCOMPANY APPLICATIONS FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT - MINERAL WASTE DISPOSAL DUMP, MINE 3C, LOGAN WASH OIL SHALE OPERATION LOCATION AND SCOPE Application is made for a Special Use Permit for a mineral disposal site located in the E1/2 NW1/4 Section 25 T7S - R97W, a Dry Gulch re-entrant off the north side of Logan Wash (Figure 1). The site will contain approxi- mately 500 thousand cubic yards of raw oil shale. (See cross sections A -G and Figure 2). Application was previously made for a Conditional Use Permit for construction of a road and mine designated the "3C adit", in this same parcel. The present application covers the mine dump that will originate from these operations. The material to be dumped will be raw oil shale rock with chemical and physical characteristics virtually identical to those of oil shale talus slopes that now exist beneath the Mahogany Ledge in the same area. $urpose of the dump, other than servicing mining operations in this parcel will be an experimental site to obtain slope stability parameters. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION The disposal pile at Garrett's 3A Adit, the present operation, was constructed by end dumping with no compaction. The dump was proven to be exceptionally stable because of the large grain size and angularity of the material. Configuration of the canyon suggests that similar methods can he used at the 3C edit. No problem is anticipated in maintaining slope and stability of the pile if care is paid to trimming where required. WATER Construction of the dump will not have an adverse effect upon underground water. Runoff water may be somewhat affected. This is covered under the site rehabilitation section of this application. The material being dumped is raw oil shale and should not affect either the salinity or the chemical balance of the water. The dumped material will be very porous and have a high transmissivity. It is not expected to shift during cloudbursts, spring thaws, etc. Rather, any runoff anticipated is expected to flow through. USE OF ADJACENT LAND Adjacent land is now used only for cattle grazing during spring and fall movements. Extent of the material as dumped will be about 800 feet from the property line. The dump will not affect adjacent land use. WILDLIFE AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS Creation of the dump will not effect the migration routes or use patterns for wildlife. No attractions should exist that would bring wildlife to the area. Existing vegetation will not be altered. Return of the area to its original vegetal growth is covered in the Rehabilita- tion Plan. TRUCK AND AUTO TRAFFIC The dump will not create any additional auto or truck traffic in the area. EMPLOYMENT There will he no increase in employment due to construction of the dump. DISTANCE FROM ABUTTING PROPERTY The toe of the pile will be approximately 800 feet from the nearest abutting property. VISUAL IMPACT The dump is located 13.2 miles from DeBeque, 7 miles from the county road on Roan Creek. The area is not visible from any existing public access roads, hiking trails, etc. INDUSTRIAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Volume of Sound. The volume of sound generated by equipment used will be from 30 to 50 decibels at the working location of land person- nel. This will be the only sound inherent to the construction and main- tenance of the area. Vibration. No vibrations will eminate peast the property line. Emissions of Smoke & Particulate Matter. No smoke will be emitted into the atmosphere. It is estimated that the pile will contain 0.1% dust. The pile of the 3A mine site has not been the source of an unusual amount of blowing dust. Emission of Heat, Glare, Radiation & Fumes. There will be no emissions of heat, glare, radiation or fumes from the pile. General. Thera will be no storage of flammables or explosive solids or gasses at the dump. No materials or wastes will be deposited in such a manner that they may be transferred off the property by any reasonably foreseeable natural causes or forces. The dump consists of "as mined" rock only and will not present a fire hazard nor be attractive to insects or rodents. No potential hazards are anticipated that would necessitate the installation of safeguards against water pollution. -3- SITE REHABILITATION Topography. The topography in the area is very steep (see Figure 1) and the pile will fill only that part of the canyon below the edit benches. Slopes will be no steeper than the angle of repose between 38° and 42°. Drainage. Natural drainage should not be affected by the dumping as material will not be dumped across a major stream channel. Should the need become apparent during construction of the dump, runoff will be carried across the pile in a suitable lined channel and conducted down the slope to the natural channel. Leaching. The material to be dumped is raw oil shale, not spent (retorted) shale. No leaching will occur. The raw oil shale at this site contains essentially no nahcolite because none was deposited at the edge of the oil shale basin where our property is. Therefore, no leaching of water soluble minerals will occur. Planting, Mulching, etc. The applicant has retained VTN Colorado Corporation to perform a preliminary environmental analysis on its entire Logan Wash property. This study is expected to be complete by May 1, 1974. Occidental Chemical Corporation, another wholly owned subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corporation, will assist in vegetation of the mined shale disposal site. OXY Chemical is a major fertilizer producer and per- forms agronomic application services throughout its marketing area. Plans for final vegetation of the completed pile will be presented to the county planner and commissioner when they become available. In general, it is expected that the pile will be seeded with native and/or introduced grass species. Protection. Fences will be constructed as necessary to protect the areas being revegetated from livestock and big game grazing during the -4- establishment period. Land Requirements. The land is held by the applicant on lease option. A total of 9.25 acres will be involved. -5-