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INTRODUCTION <br />This document is the proposed decision of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and <br />Safety ( Division) in response to a request for a Partial Phase I Bond Release at the West Elk Mine, <br />Division permit number C-1980-007. The package contains four parts. These parts include: 1) <br />procedures and summary of the bond release process; 2) criteria and schedule for bond release; 3) <br />observations and findings of the Division regarding compliance with the bond release requirements <br />of the Colorado Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act and regulations promulgated thereunder; <br />and 4) the Division's proposed decision on the request for bond release. <br />Detailed information about the review process can be found in the Act and the Regulations of the <br />Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining. All Rules referenced within this <br />document are contained within the Regulations. Detailed information about the mining and <br />reclamation operations at the West Elk Mine can be found in the permit application, on file at the <br />Division offices, located at 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215, in Denver, Colorado. <br />The West Elk Mine is an underground coal mine, which is permitted and operated by the Mountain <br />Coal Company, LLC (MCC). Land for which bond release has been requested is Federally owned <br />and the coal mined was federally owned. Reclamation for which the Bond Release has been <br />requested was conducted in 2014. MCC is requesting Phase I bond release on 10.05 acres. The <br />release includes the proper plugging and abandonment of 15 drill holes (MDW's), the backfilling <br />and regrading of 11 drill pads and the backfilling and regrading of the associated roads and road <br />spurs (eight total). <br />West Elk Mine 2 20 November 2015 <br />Partial Phase I Bond Release SL -08 Findings <br />