At a ceremony held March 21 at the Westin Tabor Center Hotel in Denver, the Colorado Mining Association (CMA) honored winners of the Environmental Stewardship and Pollution Prevention Awards for 2011.
CMA initially developed the award winning program under a grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment's (CDPHE) Pollution Prevention Program. The association developed a first-ever code of pollution prevention and best management practices for the mining industry in Colorado. In 2003, CMA earned a "Friend of EPA award" which praised CMA as "the program directly supports and assists EPA in performing its mission to protect public health and the environment." The CDPHE logo is affixed to each certificate and award.
Senior participants submitted detailed information demonstrating compliance with all program requirements, such as container and chemical management, recycling, reclamation, energy efficiency, and other protocols. And companies earned special recognition for developing programs that serve as a model for incorporation by local communities or adoption by others engaged in resource extraction. Those earning special recognition also receive CMA's nomination for the CDPHE Environmental Leadership Program. A record nine companies earned senior participant and special recognition status for 2011.
Western Fuels - Colorado, LLC Colowyo Mine developed a variable topsoil replacement program that serves as a model for other mine operations in northwest Colorado. In cooperation with the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining & Safety and the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the company program varied the topsoil depth to emulate natural conditions. The company also developed a computer program - Actio - that allows for the immediate upload and distribution of information about chemicals used on site.