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History of C-1982-056
<br />Coal has historically been mined under other approved permits by surface methods on the dip
<br />slopes, where overburden thickness allows for economic extraction within Twentymile Park
<br />around its margins, and where folding has elevated a major coal seam within the basin. Foidel
<br />Creek Mine is currently the only producing underground operation within Twentymile Park. The
<br />mine is a longwall operation, using continuous miners for entry and development work only.
<br />The permit area presently encompasses approximately 22,447 acres. With the approval of PR -11
<br />the permit area will increase by 160 acres bringing the total permit area to 22,607 acres.
<br />USGS Quadrangle maps of Milner and Rattlesnake Butte cover the majority of the permit area.
<br />Disturbed areas of the mine include the main surface facilities area along Foidel Creek and
<br />numerous smaller outlying facilities. These mine -related facilities have result in about 712 total
<br />disturbed acres. The main mine facilities lie in Sections 29, 31, 32, TSN, R86W of the 6th
<br />Principal Meridian and are located in, and adjacent to, a strip pit excavated originally by
<br />Colorado Yampa Coal Company's (CYCC) surface mining operation (Eckman Park Mine;
<br />Permit No. C-1981-071). The Eckman Park Mine obtained final Phase III bond release on
<br />February 12, 2002. Other facilities currently within the permit area, but separate from the main
<br />portal facility area, include the Fish Creek Borehole (FCB) facility, the Southwest ventilation
<br />facility (SW vent), the Eastern Mining District ventilation facility (EMD vent), the Eastern
<br />Mining District dewatering facility (I ORT borehole), the 18 -Right Escape Shaft and Mine
<br />Atmosphere Control (MAC) borehole, the 18 -Left Ventilation boreholes and MAC borehole, the
<br />6 -Main North Ventilation Shaft, the 6 -Main North escape shaft and supply boreholes, the 6 -Main
<br />North reservoir, the 16 -Left Utility Borehole, the Sandstones substation and Barricade chamber,
<br />the Fish Creek Tipple (FCT) facility, the Eastern Mining District grout hole pad, the 5 -Main
<br />North Cement Borehole and Pipeline and various roads and waterlines throughout the permit
<br />area.
<br />The Fish Creek Borehole (FCB) is located on Fish Creek approximately two miles northwest of
<br />the main facility area in Section 25, TSN, R87W. The FCB facility consists of two dewatering
<br />boreholes, an inactive ventilation shaft that has been reconfigured to a mine water borehole, three
<br />treatment ponds, associated roads, a substation, a utility building, and water treatment
<br />equipment. The SW vent was reclaimed in 1996 and is located in Section 36, TSN, R87W. The
<br />EMD vent facility is located in Section 14, TSN, R86W and consists of two ventilation shafts
<br />(intake air and return air), intake air heating unit, associated buildings, powerlines, and fuel tank.
<br />The 10 Right boreholes (formerly referred to as the EMD borehole) disturbed area is located in
<br />Section 21, TSN, R86W and consists of two boreholes, a pump building, several buried water
<br />lines, topsoil stockpiles, and a graveled pad. The Sandstones substation in Section 20, TSN,
<br />R86W no longer serves as a power drop to the mine. The nearby Barricade chamber (formerly
<br />referred to as the North Escape Shaft) has no facilities but exists as a completed three-foot
<br />diameter shaft that has been capped with a temporary steel cap. The shaft at the Barricade
<br />chamber is used to direct water back into the mine as a part of the mine water system.
<br />The Fish Creek Tipple (FCT) facility is located approximately five miles northeast of the main
<br />portal area in Section 2, TSN, R86W, about seven miles downstream on Fish Creek from the
<br />FCB facility. It was originally permitted separately under permit No. C1981-036 but since has
<br />been incorporated into the Foidel Creek permit No. C-1982-056. It consisted of a rail load out.
<br />Foidel Creek Mine 9 February 25, 2016
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