2018-12-05_REVISION - C1982056 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Peabod IIII ENERGY Twentymile Coal, LLC Mr. Howard Strand Office of Surface Mining Western Region 1999 Broadway, Suite 3320 Denver, Colorado 80202 December 4, 2018 Re: Twentymile Coal, LLC - Foidel Creek Mine, Permit Revision PRI 8-12 - Wolf Creek Reserve LBA Development and Mining Dear Mr. Strand: Twentymile Coal, LLC (TC) is providing with this transmittal a copy of Permit Revision PRI 8-12, for the GSM's review as part of the Federal Mine Plan approval process. In April 2017, TC submitted a Lease Application to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a Federal Coal Lease (COC -78449) for 640 acres of Federal coal reserves, as an extension of current and ongoing underground coal mining operations for our Foidel Creek Mine in the Wolf Creek Coal Seam. The BLM recently (I V06,'18) issued a Notice of Availability for the Preliminary EA on the proposed coal lease, and held (11128118) a Public Comment Meeting on the EA. The public comment period on the EA closes this Thursday (12106;18). Current BLM projections indicate that a lease sale for the subject coal lease could occur as early as second quarter 2019. In conjunction with this leasing action, TC prepared and submitted a Permit Revision application (PR18-12) to the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (CDRMS) on 11/14/18. The PR application was determined complete on 11:`291,18, and the first publication of the required Public Notice published on 12/02/18. The last date of publication will be 12123.' 18, and the public comment period on the PR will close on 01122119. The CDRMS has noted that their review, and consultation with OSM, indicates that PR18-12 probably constitutes a Federal Mine Plan Action, subject to Federal Mine Plan review and approval. It is our desire and intent to cooperate fully with all of the participating agencies (BLM, CDRMS, and OSM) to facilitate timely processing of the required federal Coal Lease, State Mining and Reclamation Permit Approval, and OSM/DOI Federal Mine Plan Approval. It is our understanding that, consistent with recent Federal guidelines for streamlining the permitting and approval processes, both the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (CDNR/CDRMS) and OSM are Participating Agencies relative to the BLM's leasing environmental review process. In order to minimize duplicative efforts and maintain reasonable review and approval timeframes, we ask that OSM continue to coordinate with both the BLM and CDRMS in order to process the required approvals concurrently. We appreciate your consideration and assistance. If you have any questions or need to discuss, please feel free to contact me.