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Thermal Event drill holes were plugged with a bridge packer set 50' below ground level <br />in the steel casing with cement grout placed in the hole to surface. <br />MCC has undertaken plugging and reclamation activities at gob vent borehole <br />sites approved in 2001 over Panel 14 and 15. Gob vent boreholes 14-04, 14-06, 14-07 <br />and 14-08 were plugged and the sites 14-06 thru 14-08 totally reclaimed in 2002. MCC <br />may plug some of the GVB and/or MDW wells in the 2003 season as mining conditions <br />and activities dictate. Holes considered for plugging would be those that have ceased to <br />function as intended or those that fail to meet the criteria for other possible anticipated <br />and continued uses. MCC will reclaim the existing sites with interim reclamation <br />methods until such time as it becomes evident from the results of mining activities that <br />these drill holes are no longer needed. <br />ONGOING OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES <br />MCC will utilize existing roads and yet to be constructed roads to access <br />exhausting blowers for maintenance and service. Each methane fired blower engine will <br />be serviced at 400-hour intervals. All used fluids and trash will be returned to the mine <br />site for proper disposal. Periodically MCC will haul water to the exhausting blowers for <br />cleaning with a portable pressure washer. Water from cleaning will be recovered from the <br />blower containment tanks and transported to the mine site for disposal. <br />From time to time, methane exhausters may have to be moved as part of a <br />planned or an un-planned activity. These moves could occur at any time of the year as <br />mining conditions and needs dictate. MCC will notify the Forest Service within 24 hours <br />of a move that would occur as an unplanned event. Planned moves as part of normal <br />activity would be addressed with the Forest Service in accordance with item 41 of the <br />Conditions of Approval, in the Decision Notice dated May 31, 2002, titled Coal Methane <br />Drainage Project Panels 16-24 Mountain Coal Company West Elk Mine. To keep <br />current with improving technology, MCC requests the ability to change exhauster <br />alignments, equipment, and add additional equipment as necessary to meet the needs of <br />the mine as such equipment and/or technology becomes available. MCC will notify the <br />Forest Service of any major change in alignment, quantity and/or configuration of the <br />exhausting equipment prior to installation. <br />MCC requests the ability to use 4X4 pickup trucks (wheeled or tracked), ATV's <br />snowcats, and snowmobiles for primary access to the sites during the appropriate seasons. <br />Heavy equipment including, but not limited to, bulldozers, backhoes, and boom trucks <br />will be utilized to move and maintain blower units. <br />ONGOING MONITORING ACTIVITIES <br />MCC requests the ability to access all exhausting blowers for monitoring and <br />sampling on a daily basis. At times, multiple trips per day will be necessary to maintain <br />operation of blower units. Access is required yeaz round. <br />IS <br />