Office of Surface Mining
Western Field Operations - 1020 15th Street - Brooks Towers -
Denver. Colorado 80202 - (303) 844-2459

For Release April 1,  1991
Laura Sanderlin  (303)  844-3067 
Donald Donner (303)  844-3066

OSM DECLARES A SUBSIDENCE EMERGENCY MARSHALL MESA OPEN SPACE NEAR
MARSHALL, BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO

The Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement  (OSM)  has  issued a contract to  fill  a  subsided
mine entry on Boulder County Open Space land.  The sudden event was
near Marshall  road and was determined to be a portion of the
Cracker Jack #2 Mine.  The water-filled hole was about 2 by 3 feet
and more than ten feet deep.

The  contract  was  issued  to  Wesley  Conda  Construction,  a 
local contractor, to excavate and clear the area and fill the hole.

The work was financed by OSM's abandoned mine land reclamation fund
which is supported by fees assessed on active coal mines.

SPECIAL NOTE FROM THE COLORADO MINED LAND RECLAMATION DIVISION:

Colorado residents who own homes built over abandoned coal mines
have the opportunity to protect their residences through the State
of Colorado's Mine Subsidence Protection Program (MSPP).  MSPP will
pay  participants  up  to  $50,000  to  repair damage  from  coal 
mine subsidence.   Residents pay $100 for a one-time inspection fee
and a $35 annual participation fee.   For more information on the
MSPP call,  toll free,  1-800-44-MINES.

-DOI-