Laserfiche WebLink
West Elk Mine <br />Partial Phase I Bond Release SL-10 Findings Page 7 of 8 <br />Summary and Conclusions <br /> <br />Based upon a review of the mine permit, the applicant's bond release application, and site inspections, the <br />Division finds that MCC has completed backfilling, grading and drainage reestablishment at the West Elk <br />Mine in accordance with the approved reclamation plan on all of the MVB drill pads and associated access <br />roads contained in the partial Phase I Bond Release SL-10 application. Additionally, the Division finds <br />that all of the MVB holes were sealed and marked in accordance with the approved reclamation plan and <br />applicable Rules. <br /> <br /> <br />IV. PROPOSED DECISION <br /> <br />Based on the observations above, the Division proposes to approve Mountain Coal Company, LLC's <br />request for a Phase I bond release for the West Elk Mine. This proposed decision will release the applicant <br />from reclamation liability for Phase I Bond Release criteria for the MVBs, well pads and access roads <br />listed in Table 2, totaling 9.97 acres. The Division proposes to release $149,727.22 for the Partial Phase I <br />Bond Release SL-10. <br /> <br />An accounting of the West Elk Mine’s bond release history, including SL-09, is provided in Table 1 below. <br /> <br />Table 1: West Elk Mine, C1980-007, Bond Release History <br /> <br /> <br />The Division currently holds a performance bond in the form of two corporate sureties in the amount of <br />$15,000,000.00 (bond from the Arch Insurance Company in the amount of $10,000,000.00 <br />and bond from the Bond Safeguard Insurance Company in the amount of $5,000,000.00). The <br />current reclamation liability at the West Elk Mine, prior to SL-10, is $14,023,599.02. The decision to <br />approve Partial Phase III Bond Release SL-09 was proposed on 1 December 2016 but has not yet been <br />issued. Following the proposed release of $38,462.00 with SL-09 and $149,727.22 with SL-10, the mine <br /> Phase I Phase II Phase III <br /> <br />Release Acres Amount Acres Amount Acres Amount <br />SL-01 15.19 $79,727.00 0 $0.00 0 $0.00 <br />SL-02 5.5 $122,629.00 0 $0.00 0 $0.00 <br />SL-03 47.65 $470,488.00 0 $0.00 0 $0.00 <br />SL-04 0 $0.00 67.6 $196,037.00 0 $0.00 <br />SL-05 13.85 $94,475.00 0 $0.00 0 $0.00 <br />SL-06 0 $0.00 0 $0.00 24.2 $69,761.00 <br />SL-07 19.23 $97,871.00 0 $0.00 0 $0.00 <br />SL-08 10.05 $110,452.00 0 $0.00 0 $0.00 <br />SL-09 0 $0.00 0 $0.00 22.1 $38,462.00 <br />SL-10 9.97 $149,727.22 0 $0.00 0 $0.00 <br /> <br />Total 121.44 $1,125,369.22 67.6 $196,037.00 46.3 $108,223.00