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Mountain coal Company West Elk Mine Deer Creek Shaft Project Plan estimated total disturbance of approximately 1.9 acres. (this estimate includes the subsoil pile generated from excavation of the Deer Creek shaft collars from the pad elevation to bedrock). This volume was detemined following the 2006 and verified by proposed 2007 site investigation work which will identify depth to bedrock.) Since the expected disturbance area is sma1L MCC considers this as a Small Area Exemption (SAE) for sediment conhol purposes. The pad light-use road was designed in accordance with the CDMG light use road criteria (CDMG Rule 4.03.3) and was constructed in a way that did not require crossing watercourses or cause impacts to wetlands. Mountain Coal Company intends to minimize the footprint of the project disturbance and has been successfirl in doing so at similaz projects. Access to the shaft pad will be required all year long, but in some months may be achieved via snowcat, snowmobiles, All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), or other similar means. Minnesota Creek Road (USFS 711) will be used to provide equipment and vehicle access during construction Improvements to this road will benefit this project during the construction phase, but will also serve to improve the road for other Forest users. If needed, improvements to this road will be peffiitted duough the existing Annual Operating Plan procedure currently associated with MCC's USFS Road Use Pemrit. Both the light-use road and the pad driving surfaces aze graveled. The perimeter of the pad and the slopes of the light-use road corridor were seeded for interim reclamation Purposes. The volume of subsoil generated for the main shaft collar installation has been estimated to be approximately 3,000 cubic yards from the 2006 site characterization work that defined depth to bedrock (for both shafts). Subsoil will be excavated from the surface elevation remaining after topsoil removal to bedrock depth for the main shaft collar excavation. Mountain Coal Company will minimize the footprint of the subsoil pile so as to Limit the disturbed area. This stored subsoil will be used to facilitate shaft closure and final re-grading of the road and pad to approximate original contours. The vegetation that occurs in the area between the sha8 and the public access roads (Minnesota Creek Road USFS 711 and the Deer Creek Road) roads consists of several aspen trees; dense Gambel oak, chokecherry, snowberry and serviceberry shrubs; Mountain brome and other grasses; and various other fort and shrub species. The pad is located on a gently sloping hillside with a slight north-facing aspect The existing vegetation offers some natural visual screening from the public access road. The pad will contain an approximate 24fcet diameter shaft enclosed with a concrete collar (the Deer Creek Shaft). An adjacent shaft of approximate 6-feet diameter (also enclosed with a concrete collar) will be used for MSHA-required emergency mine Page 3 of 13