2020-08-20_REVISION - C1980007 (36)

Home Browse Search

MCC submitted Permit Renewal application RN-5 on January 23, 2006 and the application was deemed complete for the purposes of filing on January 26, 2006. An adequacy review found that it was not necessary to submit comments to the applicant. The reclamation cost estimate was updated and the applicant submitted additional reclamation bond. The proposed decision to approve RN-5 was issued on February 13, 2007. MCC submitted the application for PR-12,the addition of the Dry Fork lease (COC-67232), on October 1, 2007 and DRMS deemed the application complete for the purposes of filing on the same day. An adequacy review was conducted and comments were submitted to the applicant in a letter dated December 5, 2007. The Division's adequacy concerns were related to subsidence impacts in the proposed Dry Fork lease area and various changes to text and tables in the permit application. All concerns were resolved by MCC's responses submitted on February 28, 2008. The Division issued a proposed decision of March 21, 2008. MCC submitted the application for PR-14 on August 18, 2008 and DRMS deemed the application complete for the purposes of filing on August 28, 2008. PR-14 approved the drilling of up to 152 methane drainage wells to the mine's underground workings in longwall panels E-2 through E-12, over a 12-year period. The wells were approved to be drilled within the applicant's existing coal leasehold and mining permit area on Federal (USFS) and private lands. The total aggregate surface disturbance was approved to be approximately 80 acres within a 6- square mile area. A Federal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was prepared for the project, titled "The Deer Creek Shaft and E Seam Methane Drainage Wells Project". The applicant substituted PR-14 for a proposed drilling project previously submitted to the Division as Technical Revision 112. A decision to approve PR-14 was proposed on October 10, 2008, and issued on November 14, 2008. MCC submitted an application for permit renewal, RN-06, on January 20, 2011, and the application was deemed complete for the purposes of filing on January 21, 2011. The Division conducted a preliminary adequacy review of the RN-06 application and submitted comments to the applicant in a letter dated March 18, 2011. Most of the Division's comments related to updating information in the AVS. All concerns noted in the March 18, 2011 letter were resolved by MCC's responses submitted by email on March 25, 2011. During the review of RN-06, the Division updated the reclamation cost estimate for the West Elk Mine. A decision to approve RN-06 was proposed on October 17, 2011, and issued on November 28, 2011. MCC submitted the application for PR-15 on March 29, 2018 and DRMS deemed the application complete for the purposes of filing on April 5, 2018. PR-15 approved the expansion of the permit area boundary into the Sunset Trails area to the south of the previously approved permit area boundary, adding 2,620 acres to the permit area, and revised the mine plan. Four longwall panels were added, with a projected area of mining of—1,120 acres, comprising —65% federally owned coal and—35%privately owned. The addition of 43 Mine Ventilation Boreholes (MVBs) was approved, with associated drill pads and access roads. A total of 53.63 additional disturbed acres was approved. A decision to approve PR-15 was proposed on September 4, 2018. An objection to the Division's proposed decision and request for formal hearing was received on September 30, 2018. The Mined Land Reclamation Board heard the objection on October 24, 2018, and upheld the Division's decision. 9