[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6240440,"mediaKeyId","3319632-d840d676a1d28d63ede235766fac697b","parentId",3319632,"title","DRMS explains reclamation cost estimating (SIRCES), bonding standards and outreach to San Miguel County","audioSeconds",282,"startMs",4278000,"endMs",4560000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3319632-d840d676a1d28d63ede235766fac697b&start=4278&end=4560","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3319632-d840d676a1d28d63ede235766fac697b/thumbnail_4278000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6240440/Colorado/DRMS-explains-reclamation-cost-estimating-SIRCES-bonding-standards-and-outreach-to-San-Miguel-County","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6240440-fd1076ed00e22f1e29bc267cf0cdf481/orig.mp4?Expires=1770702295&Signature=MX5bArZct17-m7trPU50XP82RFPXXaPl91osxHV8LEUBYTo6eaQFzIBcj21LyBSKMv5slUTSm~iQW4onIPpFvN5ms8YXRug~zjj1QZe5QraT8ndIEEH1uxLEdee9chrPq68jH9aNehyXkU~gdSvaYIVc5QMdB3iDD8wQNASZejoxtbFm4M-w8cuVOIdW2RV3aGLAo66JeBCRZ88wwSMlIs7OKZBHzBZX3wxofF2Z704gJuDYwvqbX7a3yUjheShuniRdNH2b3GBFWIW4j4T0zNqkyUyYMu7sSV17SiILPLvl-HYAbH~MzjI7-cHSF8xN2hCFW8DMunY4YsUXAVPNjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-15T16:56:45.277Z","article","DRMS staff gave the Mined Land Reclamation Board an in‑depth staff briefing on how the division calculates reclamation financial warranties, the data sources behind those calculations and outreach to San Miguel County as it updates local mining regulations.

Sarah Stephenson (financial warranty specialist) and Amy Eldell (PS‑3, bonding) presented the division’s use of the Colorado Integrated Reclamation Cost Estimating Software (SIRCES), explaining it standardizes task lists, equipment selection, production inputs and indirect costs so DRMS can set bonds sufficient to fund reclamation if a third party must complete the work. Amy said SIRCES pulls equipment ownership/operating costs from EquipmentWatch, production and correction factors from the CAT handbook, demolition and specialized costs from RSMeans, and labor, fringe and operator rates from CDOT data. DRMS updates the cost inputs annually (typically going live July 1) and performs a revegetation cost survey on a multi‑year cycle.

Amy explained DRMS includes indirect contractor overhead and profit, performance bond, liability insurance, job‑superintendent costs, financial warranty processing, construction management and a 3% contingency when appropriate, to produce the contract amount that would be necessary in the event of forfeiture. She emphasized the division assumes a third‑party contractor would perform reclamation in a forfeiture scenario, so DRMS unit costs generally exceed an operator’s in‑house costs; that gap is intended to encourage operators to complete reclamation themselves.

Sarah described the division’s accepted forms of financial warranty—cash (wire), corporate surety, letters of credit and CDs—and said DRMS audits letters of credit and CDs annually and verifies surety firms against the U.S. Treasury’s approved list. She said DRMS will notify operators in advance of any required surety increase and seeks to confirm figures with operators prior to issuing a formal increase.

Russ Bates and others summarized outreach to San Miguel County, which is updating mining regulations. The briefing gave the county a program overview, a breakdown of active permits in the county (15 active mining permits; 5 are county road/bridge permits that do not require bonds; multiple historic uranium and DOE sites), and an explanation of DRMS authority under the Coal, Hard Rock and Construction Materials acts. DRMS also described reclamation work done by the Inactive Mines Program and the division’s policy for periodic revaluation of bonds during inspections.

Board members asked about geographic differences in labor and mobilization costs, water use for revegetation, noxious‑weed treatments and how bonds are adjusted over time. Amy said labor and fringe rates are adjusted using CDOT’s zone classifications (metro versus rural) and that DRMS performs bond updates during inspections; staff try to apply inflationary adjustments routinely so a long gap between inspections does not compound into a large retroactive increase. The board asked for a brief chronology and status update on a particular abandoned transit‑mix site in Colorado Springs; staff agreed to provide a written chronology and clarification at a future meeting.

DRMS staff said a web‑based version of SIRCES has been developed with the Montana DEQ; Montana has not yet published the tool, but the code is available for shared development. The division signaled it will continue to refine cost inputs, engage counties on local permitting questions and coordinate with federal land managers where bonding is shared.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Colorado MLRB's May 14, 2025 Zoom Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","DRMS staff detailed the agency’s standardized reclamation cost tool (SIRCES), indirect cost assumptions for contractor completion, updates to cost data and bonding practices, and described outreach to San Miguel County on permitting and bonding questions.","taxTitle","Mined Land Reclamation Board, Governor's Boards and Commissions, Organizations, Executive, Colorado","taxId",28139,"location","Colorado","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6240445,"DNR and DRMS report: bills, produced water study, coal‑refuse mitigation and a Weld County intergovernmental agreement",425,38000,463000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3319632-d840d676a1d28d63ede235766fac697b&start=38&end=463","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3319632-d840d676a1d28d63ede235766fac697b/thumbnail_38000.jpg","/articles/6240445/Colorado/DNR-and-DRMS-report-bills-produced-water-study-coalrefuse-mitigation-and-a-Weld-County-intergovernmental-agreement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6240445-d9e4175c572d63a3ff929350bc3e495e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770702295&Signature=E5WG43LqY-U8WgnwZRA098H91bYSZquYK5HW-4MHpPCLDVD-7leHwYvoopvM75cixlUrJ7Lx6JuU3p6B4oo8sqXOEltEfm43RT5tUAtgRJw05qF1CzY6fCFT66YmVgrHKsZMvkmG4fVKyrv1kK65ASCU234pJ3flPPs5fdZm0woNkGA~mWwRMO5IxBHwc9Inc4qE1fr19ntMt2DNn4lRaTfX7l~uGN0lq7YhS5XSP1JLcbz8f2e~eMDGseYzAKiqFTUeqlbISjbJrZ3ppTDvCA0XF8SpzJXuZNxQHeEx-Dl~mIaYYDrRLrXWKrtHCnFrcKRHNVF65dI8nZ2WIe-WOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deputy Director Tim Mock and DRMS division director Michael Cunningham briefed the Mined Land Reclamation Board on state legislative outcomes, program work and a set of near‑term projects and studies.

Mock told the board the Department of Natural Resources fared well in the legislative session: the department’s budget and legislative priorities passed the long bill with few changes. He noted a late bill, House Bill 1332, that would require the State Land Board to convene a work group to study conservation, climate resilience, biodiversity and recreation on state trust lands, and said the study is expected to take about a year and the department will hire a contractor to help develop the work.

On federal and cross‑agency issues, Mock said DNR is tracking federal rule changes under the Endangered Species Act and is coordinating with the Bureau of Land Management on shared stewardship work similar to arrangements with the U.S. Forest Service. He also noted the Colorado Produced Water Consortium’s deliverable—an evaluation of analytical and toxicology methods for produced water—is statutorily due July 1, 2025, and the consortium will hold an in‑person meeting on June 6.

Division director Michael Cunningham reviewed DRMS program activity. He described a Phase 1 excavation and quench project to mitigate a longstanding coal refuse fire about 9 miles southwest of Florence: construction begins May 19 and is expected to be completed Sept. 4. The project addresses a roughly 1.5‑acre surface refuse pile—about 35 feet tall, 150 feet wide and 300 feet long—by excavating the burning seam, quenching it with water, blending on‑site materials, backfilling and reseeding.

Cunningham also briefed the board on Senate Bill 2554, which if signed by the governor will make the division a full member of the Interstate Mining Compact Commission; he said staff will begin rulemaking work tied to the bill. DRMS expects to open an informal stakeholder process in June with monthly meetings through October and a formal rulemaking process to begin in January 2026, with hearings targeted for March–April 2026 to revise both the construction‑materials and the hard‑rock rules.

On jurisdictional coordination, Cunningham explained an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Weld County, signed April 21, 2025. The IGA clarifies that when the county issues permits for certain agricultural earthmoving activities—such as reservoir cleanouts or land leveling for center‑pivot irrigation—the county’s permit will be treated as the permitting mechanism and the division will not require a separate reclamation permit for those specific agricultural operations. The IGA requires the county to notify DRMS when it issues such permits so the division can monitor consistency with the agreement.

Cunningham said DRMS staff and board members will receive copies of the IGA and that the division is tracking the Office of the State Auditor’s confidential mine audit report, which remains confidential until its presentation to the Legislative Audit Committee on June 16; DRMS plans to place the report on the board’s June agenda for open discussion after release.

Mock and Cunningham also noted outreach items: Parks and Wildlife’s Colorado Outdoor Strategy is now available online and will shape implementation priorities across DNR divisions; a proposed Shadow Mountain mountain bike park lease in Jefferson County is not expected to move forward after county denial of a land‑use change; and Colorado Forest Tracker—an online forest management activity map—has been released by the Forest Restoration Institute and the state Forest Service.

Board members asked clarifying questions about tribal jurisdiction and whether tribal lands fall under DRMS oversight; Cunningham said tribal lands (Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute) are sovereign and separate from state regulation, although the department is engaging with tribal leaders on mining and energy development concerns.

The update closed with announcements that staff would return with rulemaking timelines and sample stakeholder materials, and that DRMS would include discussion of the auditor’s recommendations on the June agenda once the report is publicly released.","Deputy Director Tim Mock and DRMS staff updated the Mined Land Reclamation Board on legislative successes, a produced‑water consortium deadline, a planned coal refuse fire mitigation near Florence, and an IGA with Weld County clarifying agricultural earthmoving permitting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6240450,"Mined Land Reclamation Board approves Burnco amendment for Nissen Farm over objections",2561,1091000,3652000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3319632-d840d676a1d28d63ede235766fac697b&start=1091&end=3652","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3319632-d840d676a1d28d63ede235766fac697b/thumbnail_1091000.jpg","/articles/6240450/Colorado/Mined-Land-Reclamation-Board-approves-Burnco-amendment-for-Nissen-Farm-over-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6240450-5210bb1e831b4c93eb9e4754249f232e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770702295&Signature=SN9nb2edlCanbQ3XRg-xFNTgyjAjFOqlO4iYbaY7c7g8~8rqlRk~qa0qIRQzYCuO-Wqc7vYD3NhfGEypAl-H8v-3mDzb9nHa020pbGe26jO7VAkNvswWvuFNVA3OV3VObCV4Wa4cvpHCRlYM~7wONdm5ILZ9bToRgCYaSr3Zddcs13h74pcyqbO4N2~M-i351tCcahrHZmSpvxYkvqaXjXeLOMxTpwzdnnbSoso2ppvlQHSiVRedpLrmd5-rvahCrjb1Cd9CNM9q6bXGATsOPVnmU9S8dq3PLUUkY-ORFAUu7xieIjcdkVbcQA~8Ohs-JhEEZkIzG4CjR7oGeqiqpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mined Land Reclamation Board on May 1 approved Burnco Colorado LLC’s permanent amendment (AM‑1) to permit M2301, allowing the company to add 28 acres for a processing facility outside the floodplain at the Nissen Farm site near the South Platte River, over objections from adjacent landowners.

The board voted to approve the amendment after the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) recommended approval, finding the application satisfied statutory and rule requirements despite timely objections from neighbors on aesthetics, dust, road use and access. The board’s approval was a voice vote; no roll‑call tally was provided during the hearing.

The amendment will enlarge the permit area from 134.21 acres to 162.21 acres and move crushing, screening and washing operations from inside the slurry‑walled pit to a 28‑acre terrace parcel about 15 feet above the floodplain. DRMS staff said the post‑mining plan for the main site remains a 93‑acre water storage reservoir to be operated by Central Colorado Water Conservancy District; the amendment parcel would be reclaimed to pasture and topsoiled and seeded with native grasses.

DRMS environmental protection specialist Nikki Ganyan presented the division’s technical review and summarized objections. She said the division determined the objectors’ concerns—visual impacts, dust and air quality, County Road 58 traffic, an informal access used by adjacent landowners, and the status of a previously permitted but expired Weld County concrete batch permit—were outside DRMS jurisdiction and thus not grounds to deny the amendment under the Mineral Act and division rules. The applicant has, Ganyan said, committed in its Exhibit M to address county permitting and air permitting requirements with Weld County and the Air Pollution Control Division.

Burnco representatives told the board they had held a public meeting with nearby neighbors in April and will submit a technical revision to extend berms to screen the operation. Chris Ascribe, identified as general manager for Burnco Colorado’s aggregates division, said the company was investing $150,000 in an upgraded water truck and installing silent white‑noise backup alarms to reduce noise and dust, and that it intends to continue allowing adjacent landowners access where safe and feasible. \"We do take our role as an operator in the state as a neighbor very seriously,\" Ascribe said.

Board members pressed staff and the applicant about traffic and access. DRMS staff said Weld County must reauthorize or revise any use‑by‑special‑review permit and will decide access and road use; DRMS emphasized the amendment is contingent on required county approvals and that the division will require technical revisions if access points change. Burnco told the board its intent—based on neighbor feedback—is to continue to use the existing Weld County Parkway access for both inbound and outbound truck traffic rather than switching trucks to County Road 58, but the county must approve that pattern.

DRMS staff confirmed that the permit addition will trigger an increase in the required reclamation financial warranty. The current bond for the site is $906,500; staff said approval of the amendment will increase the bond to $1,097,117 and that DRMS considers that amount adequate. The board record shows DRMS will continue routine inspections and periodic reevaluation of bonding as work proceeds.

Because objectors raised concerns that DRMS deemed non‑jurisdictional, staff repeatedly directed neighbors to Weld County for matters such as hours of operation, aesthetic controls, road design and local permits. DRMS staff also noted that the expired Weld County concrete batch permit had been formally vacated by the county effective Jan. 26, 2025, and that operators must obtain any required county approvals prior to initiating disturbance in the amendment area.

The board motion to approve was made and seconded on the record; following an affirmation in favor, the chair announced the amendment passed. DRMS staff said the office will monitor permit compliance and that operators must remove processing area stockpiles and restore the amendment parcel to the approved pasture reclamation when processing ends.

Board members and staff said they would provide the objectors copies of the pre‑hearing order and the DRMS recommendation, and staff explained that property‑access agreements between private landowners (the Fosters) and the operator or adjacent landowners are private matters DRMS does not adjudicate under the act. Burnco said it had implemented an informal access route on the east side of the parcel and was open to documenting access terms in a written agreement with the Fosters, Tricycle Lane (the landowner of the amendment parcel) and Central Water.","After a contested hearing, the Mined Land Reclamation Board voted to approve Burnco Colorado LLC’s 28‑acre amendment to its Nissen Farm permit (M2301), allowing a new off‑pit processing area; approval is contingent on required Weld County permits and an increase in the reclamation bond.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DRMS explains reclamation cost estimating (SIRCES), bonding standards and outreach to San Miguel County

DNR and DRMS report: bills, produced water study, coal‑refuse mitigation and a Weld County intergovernmental agreement

Mined Land Reclamation Board approves Burnco amendment for Nissen Farm over objections