2016-01-05_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981035

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2. The mine has been expanding operations dramatically. In 2001, the United States Bureau of Land Management did an Environmental Assessment of this project (attached). In this EA, the BLM found (p.7): "the total production for the mine would be about 160,000 tons/year. The ideal yearly production for NKC would be 300,000 tons per year." Based on this production level, daily truck traffic volume was estimated as follows: "there will continue to be an estimated 18 to 28 coal trucks (thirty -ton trucks) traveling County Road 120 east of the King Coal mine site ...." As you can see from the attached bar graph, this production level has been expanding rather dramatically. The applicant's latest study' suggests these current traffic levels: Vehicle Type # of trips / day Car / Truck 334 trips Single Unit Truck 15 trips Transports 312 trips Do understand that the impacts of concern to our clients and many other residents extend far beyond the truck traffic. But the truck numbers are one dramatic indicator of the level of expansion; the impacts on water, air and noise have followed suit. "Flying Under the Radar" It is a very interesting question how an operation of this nature has expanded so dramatically without any kind of public review by any agency of government. This operation has clearly been "flying under the radar." Some of our conclusions are: 1. There is still no local land use permit. Apparently, the company has been sleep walking through what it claims to be a local land use permitting process since at least August 5, 2010, without ever getting a local permit. Indeed, the company's latest move is to request yet another extension to submit the necessary materials to the county; after over five years there is still no complete application on file, and no further hearing date set until well into 2016. `July 31, 2015 study of Road Runner Engineering.