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approved reclamation plan." With regard to Phase I bond release,the approved reclamation plan for the <br /> West Elk Mine is given in section 2.05.4 of the Permit Application Packet(PAP). The parts of the <br /> reclamation plan applicable to the sites included in Table 1 call for the proper sealing of drill holes(see <br /> below), and the regrading of the drill pads and associated roads to approximate original contour. During <br /> regrading any highwalls and mudpits must be backfilled. None of the sites in Table 1 required the re- <br /> establishment of a permanent drainage. <br /> Details of the procedures for the sealing of drill holes are given on page 2.05-87 of the PAP: <br /> Exploration drill holes, MVBs, and other drill holes will be sealed in one of the following ways, <br /> dependent upon presence ofground water in the drill hole. <br /> Exploration drill holes, and other drill holes not completed to aquifers will be sealed by <br /> replacing cuttings or other suitable material in the hole and placing an appropriate plug <br /> approximately ten feet below the ground surface. MVBs will be sealed by positioning a plug <br /> down the hole to the point of refusal, topping the plug with a hole plug sealer and then <br /> backfilling the hole with cement or other suitable material to approximately ten feet below the <br /> ground surface. Then cement(or other suitable media) will be placed in the hole to a depth of <br /> approximately three feet below the ground surface. The remaining three feet will be filled with <br /> native earth or other suitable material. The hole will be marked. <br /> Exploration drill holes and other drill holes completed in aquifers not exhibiting artesian flow <br /> will be sealed by placing a cement plug extending approximately twenty feet above and below <br /> the water bearing zone.A surface plug will be placed as with dry holes. In the case of a hole <br /> exhibiting artesian flow at the surface, the hole will be sealed by placing cement from the bottom <br /> of the hole to within approximately ten feet of the ground surface.A surface plug will then be <br /> installed. Holes will be marked. <br /> In shallow soil borings not penetrating bedrock(typically 30 feet deep or less), MCC will <br /> abandon the dry holes by shoveling the cuttings back into the holes. No contamination will occur <br /> and natural healing will augment MCC efforts. <br /> In instances where sealing of drill holes encountering alluvium or bedrock are not specifically <br /> addressed under a coal exploration drilling permit, MCC will prepare an abandonment report <br /> and submit the report as soon as possible following completion of the plugging and <br /> abandonment project, but typically by the end of the calendar year in which it was completed. <br /> The report will contain the information identified in Rule 4.07.3(3). <br /> III. OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS <br /> PHASE I <br /> Plugging and abandonment reports are available for all the drill holes in Table 1, in Exhibit 12 of the <br /> Permit Application Packet(PAP). The location and marking of the abandoned holes has been verified <br /> by the Division. <br /> C-1980-007 Page 6 of 10 <br />