BLM considering temporary access road to aid in battling coal seam fire above Meeker, Colo.
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MEEKER, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management is working closely with the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety to extinguish a coal seam fire burning in the long-abandoned Black Diamond Mine above Meeker, Colo.
The mine is located on private lands, but the State is proposing a temporary access road and staging area on BLM-managed lands. Total disturbance on BLM-managed lands is estimated to be two acres. As part of its consideration of the proposal, the BLM has initiated a 14-day public review period. The proposal is available on-line at http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/wrfo/index.html.
The mine operated about one-mile north of Meeker from 1916 until 1930, when the mine fire was discovered. The burning coal seam reaches the surface in two main areas near collapsed mine entries and has started wildfires in the past. Previous attempts to surface seal the fire have been unsuccessful, and DRMS is now proposing to extinguish the burning coal.
The Black Diamond Mine Fire Abatement project is part of the DRMS Abandoned Mine Land Program’s efforts to mitigate the threats of these long-burning coal seam fires across Colorado. DRMS plans to quench all burning materials in the Black Diamond Mine this spring and seal the portals to reduce or eliminate the fire reaching the surface.
Written comments can be mailed to the White River Field Office, 220 E. Market Street, Meeker, CO 81641. Comments can also be submitted via email to pdaggett@blm.gov. Comments will be most helpful if received by May 4.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.