2020-08-20_REVISION - C1980007 (36)

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A second episode of elevated levels of gas occurred in the mine in late 2005, necessitating the drilling of several boreholes from the surface to the B-seam workings in the Box Canyon area. Approval was obtained for the construction of roads and drilling the boreholes. Water and foam were pumped down into the workings and mining resumed within approximately three months. The mine plan for the E-seam is shown on Map 51 of the PAP. MCC maintains active development entries in the E-seam in leases COC-56447, D-044569, and C-1362. These entries provide access to E-seam longwall panels I through 12 (LWE I-12), in lease C-1362 in the South of Divide area, as approved in PR-10, and in lease COC-67232 in the Dry Fork area, as approved in PR-12; to panels LWSS14 in modified leases C-1362 and COC-67232 in the Sunset Trails area, as approved in PR-15; and to panel LWE14, as approved in TR-146. As of the date of these findings, mining has been completed in panels LWE 1-8, and is in progress, from east to west, in panel LWSS 1. Aspects of the mine plan that involve surface disturbance within the Sunset Roadless Area may not be implemented unless and until Cessation Order CO-2020-001 is abated. CO-2020-001 was issued on June 18, 2020, and prohibits any further surface disturbing activities in the Sunset Roadless area, including previously approved disturbances associated with longwall panels LWSS1, LWSS2, LWSS3, and LWSS4. While CO-2020-001 remains in place, MCC may access and continue current operations in longwall panel LWSS 1 and may conduct maintenance and surface stabilization activities in longwall panel LWSS 1 to prevent any off-site impacts pursuant to the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act. MCC may also conduct ground stabilization activities in longwall panels LWSS2, LWSS3, and LWSS4. In order to abate CO-2020-001, MCC must provide the Division with detailed information regarding its assertion that it maintains legal right of entry to the Sunset Roadless area and why it is not in direct conflict with the District Court order vacating the North Fork Exception to the Colorado Roadless Rule. As of the date of this findings document CO-2020-001 has not been abated. MCC access the E-seam through the mine's existing F to B seam slopes and utilize the existing surface facilities near State Highway 133; consequently, no additional surface facilities or associated surface disturbance were proposed in PR-10 or PR-12. Surface disturbance and drilling of methane drainage wells in E-seam panel I (LWE 1) was approved in TR-111. E-seam mining of longwall panels 10, 11, and 12 (LWE10-12) was approved in PR-6; it is intended that these will be the final panels to be mined. No major buildings, major structures, occupied dwellings, cemeteries, parks, railroads or highways overlie the coal to be mined. Two reservoirs lie close to the F-seam outcrop; however, neither is directly over the coal to be mined. Surface facilities at the West Elk Mine are shown on the Map 53 series of the PAP. State Highway 133 provides the access to the main facilities area of the mine. A haul road joins the highway east of the Lower Refuse Pile (LRP) and serves as the access to most facilities and the mine portals. An old haul road accesses the silo storage area and other lower mine facilities, which is now considered an access road. Other access roads include the middle-mine facilities road and the Sylvester Gulch fan road, and the Sylvester Gulch extension. The Lone Pine Gulch road has been designated as a light-use road and provides access to the former site of a ventilation fan. 25