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reclamation of the mine. The operation is in compliance with all requirements related to <br /> explosives use. <br /> VIL Disposal of Excess Spoil - Rule 4.09 <br /> Disposal of excess spoil will not occur at the Bowie No. 1 Mine. <br /> VIIL Coal Mine Waste Banks - Rule 4.10 <br /> The Bowie No. 1 Mine has two coal waste disposal sites. The first site, named the Old <br /> Waste Disposal Area, is located just northwest of Pond 2; construction of this waste bank <br /> begun in September of 1978. Placement of coal waste continued until the disposal site <br /> reached full capacity. The disposal site was reclaimed in August of 1983. In 1985, a <br /> spontaneous combustion event took place at this waste bank. Final resolution of the issue <br /> occurred when the problem coal waste was excavated from the disposal site, allowed to <br /> cool, and placed at the West Ridge Waste Pile site. <br /> The applicant, in response to Stipulation No. 16 of its original permit, obtained approval <br /> for an underground development waste pile (West Ridge Waste Pile) at the Bowie No. 1 <br /> Mine. Text and designs regarding the waste pile can be found in the PAP, Volume 1 <br /> (Section 2.05.3) and Volume 6A. <br /> The plan consisted of three phases. Phase I consisted of a waste pile that had been <br /> constructed on the "West Ridge" site, immediately adjoining the southwestern toe of the <br /> lowest existing fill bench at the Bowie No. 1 Mine surface facilities. This terraced pile <br /> accommodated 130,000 cubic yards of waste. In January 1988, 64,417 tons of waste had <br /> been disposed of at the West Ridge Waste Pile. Approximately 25,000 tons were added to <br /> the pile in 1987, due to development in the West Mine area. <br /> Phase II consisted of an analogous, but smaller, waste pile to be constructed on the "East <br /> Ridge" site, immediately east of the Phase I pile. Phase II, never initiated, would have <br /> contained 60,500 cubic yards of waste and would have required approximately four years <br /> to construct. Phases I and II are separated by a natural ephemeral drainage channel. <br /> Phase III of the proposed waste pile plan consisted of a plan to fill the drainage separating <br /> east and west ridges, as well as the placement of an additional 530,000 cubic yards of <br /> material on top of the original Phase I and II waste piles. This had been projected to occur <br /> over a life span of 36 additional years. The total life of the three phases would have been <br /> 48 years and would have encompassed the disposal of 720,500 cubic yards of processed <br /> waste. <br /> The Division approved Phase I of the proposed waste structure. Phase I contained <br /> sufficient waste disposal area to accommodate the mine's waste production. However, <br /> Phases II and III of the proposed structure were never approved due to the shutdown of the <br /> mine. There were several specific aspects of the conceptual plans for Phases II and III <br /> which would have required significant effort to resolve. <br /> 30 <br />