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• RESPONSE <br />Bach exploration hole, borehole, well, shaft, or other exposed underground opening will be cased, sealed, <br />plugged, or othcnvise managed [o meet the requirements of this Section. Based on previous and existing <br />surface mining activities within the area, no acid or other toxic drainage has been encountered. As will be <br />dentonstra[ed in this Section, TCC plans to minimize or eliminate disturbance to the prevailing hydrologic <br />balance by the sealing of drill holes and other underground openings. Likewise, [he safety of people, <br />livestock, fish and wildlife, and machinery in the permit and adjacent areas will be ensured, to the extent <br />possible, by the temporary or permanent sealing activities proposed by TCC. <br />Bach exploration hole, borehole, well, or other wtderground opening that is uncovered or exposed during <br />mining operations that is not approved for water monitoring wilr~rmanently sealed as set forth in Rule <br />4.07.] for non-federal lease coal and as set forth it~t3 CFR 3484.1(a)(3) r all of [he above activities <br />conducted on coal under Federal lease or life. ~~~ TS Vt ¢ 7 <br />Any mine entry which is temporarily inactive, but has future useful life, will be protected by barricades or <br />other covering devices, fenced, and posted with signs to prevent access into the entry and to identify the <br />hazardous nature of [he opening. These devices will be periodically inspected and maintained in good <br />operating condition by TCC. <br />The Fish Creek Ventilation Borehole will be temporarily sealed by tack welding a metal plate over the <br />casing. The borehole will not be accessible without the use of specialized equipment. <br />When no longer needed for mining operations, the mine portals will be sealed and the portal area of the <br />• Foidel Creek Mine will be backfilled. The portal seals are patterned after the explosion proof seals <br />common to underground coal mines. The double row block wall will be keyed into the roof, floor and ribs <br />prior to backfilling. The seal will be placed in competent ground into the highwall. Figure I5, Typical <br />Portal Seals, shows the method anticipated to be used on final reclamation. A cast in-place equivalent of <br />[his seal may be used as an alternative. Backfilling will prevent access to the portal areas by people, <br />livestock, and fish and wildlife, and machinery. Because the portal area will be completely backfilled, no <br />drainage will enter surface waters of the Foidel Creek drainage. Likewise, CYCC has no[ experienced any <br />acid or toxic drainage in the current surface mining operations so none is expected to be encountered <br />following underground mining. <br />The abandonment procedures fur [he portal areas are described in the response to Rules 2.05.4. No mine <br />shafts are anticipated in the first five year sequence. <br />Final reclamation of the 36" diameter Fish Creek Ventilation Borehole will involve placine a oluQ atlhe <br />bottom of [he cased hle, cementing [he cased hole from the plug to within three feet of the surface, <br />backfilling the top three feet of [he hole with topsoil, and seeding [he site. Alternatively, the cased hole <br />may be selectively cemented by placing a cement plug 20 feet above and below the water-bearing units <br />(i.e. Wadge Overburden, Twentymile Sandstone). The remainder of the cased hole would be filled with a <br />gloat. As above, [he top three feet of the casing would be cut off and the hole backfilled with soil. The <br />access road will be graded to blend in with the surrounding topography and [he cuh•ert will be removed. <br />~fl+e entire area ~+•ill be topsoiled aitd seeded with the appropriate seed mixture. <br />TCC proposed to continue a surface drilling program which will consist of drilling four additional vertical <br />• boreholes with a rotary rig. The drill holes will be 1,100 feet in depth and > 5/8 inches in diameter. <br />Expected depth will be approxunately I~ feet below the Wadge coal seam. Circulation media will be air, <br />foam, and bentonite mud. Mud pas will be used in a closed system that will prevent dischar~~e of drilling <br />fluid li'om the drill site. Excess mud will be left in pits and backfilled over. Auxiliary equipment will <br />MR 97-I ~4 2.05-I 19 Revised 9/9/97 <br />