2024-05-14_PERMIT FILE - C1980007A (2)

Home Browse Search

West Elk Mine 2.05-26 Rev. 06/05, 01/06, 03/06, 04/06 & 05/06- PR10; 01/09- MR350; 04/09- TR116; 04/09- MR353; 05/09- MR354; 08/09- TR118; 08/09- TR119; 09/12- MR387; 11/12- MR390; 07/18-PR15; 11/18- MR430; MR438- 09/19; MR439- 11/19; 07/20- MR447; 6/22- MR464; 6/22 MR466; 6/22 MR468; 11/22 MR471; 07/23 MR474; 8/23 MR476; 09/23 MR477, 10/23 MR478, MR479, 3/24 MR480, 05/24 MR-481 Portions of the Lower Refuse Pile (LRP) are sited within 100 feet of the relocated State Highway 133. MCC applied to the CDOT for approval to conduct operations within 100 feet of State Highway 133. CDOT granted approval for operations within 100 feet of State Highway 133 on April 8, 1986. In 1997, MCC constructed the Refuse Pile Expansion (RPE) area. The RPE and the associated north soil storage area are within 100 feet of the CDOT right-of-way. MCC received an approval letter from CDOT to locate operations within this area that is included in Exhibit 70, Appendix C. Railroads The West Elk Mine area is served by the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP). A 6,000-foot long railroad siding and a small auxiliary siding, constructed within the right-of-way of the UP railroad, serves the loadout facility (owned and controlled by UP). Access Control Access to the West Elk Mine is controlled with electronic security gates at the silo pad entrance and the main mine site entrance off State Highway 133. To enter into the mine site, the gates are controlled by an electronic card reader. To exit the mine site, an electronic “exit loop” will activate the gates. A phone was installed at the main mine site gate for visitors. Locked manual gates control other entrances to the disturbed area (i.e. Lone Pine Gulch, the North Soil Storage Area, and the Refuse Pile Expansion). The old highway access gate also consists of 31 concrete barriers to assist in controlling mine access as well as sediment control, for any storm events over the 10yr/24hr events. The barriers are 2’x2’x6’ in size and are stacked two barriers high. Security monitoring of the mine area occurs as necessary. In addition to fences and security monitoring, signs are used to control access to the permit area and facilities within the area. Signs identifying the mine area are displayed at all points of access from public roads and highways. These signs show the name, business address, and telephone number of the Permittee and identification numbers of current mining and reclamation permits or other authorizations to operate. Although not required (see MR-366), permit boundary signs are present along the perimeter of the disturbed mine site where natural or constructed features do not provide boundary demarcations. Topsoil stockpiles, subsoil stockpiles, and the refuse area are clearly marked with material identification signs. Soil Stockpiles As West Elk Mine is an underground mine and most of the reclamation will not begin until the end of the life of the mine, it is necessary to have subsoil and topsoil stockpiles. The main topsoil pile is located to the south of the run-of-mine coal stack-pad and will be used for reclamation of the main mine facilities area. Some subsoil from the subsoil pile in Sylvester Gulch, (Live Subsoil Pile #1) as well as the topsoil from the stockpile at the North Soil Storage Area (NSSA), will be used for reclamation of the Lower Refuse Pile. MCC has also stockpiled topsoil from the Refuse Pile Expansion (RPE) area and the widening of the mine entrance at the NSSA on the north side of Highway 133. Landslide Corrective Measures