REV00632

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Revision
• Doc Date: 7/6/1994
• Doc Name: MR125 RESPONSE TO COMMENTS WEST ELK MINE PN C-80-007
• From: MCC
• To: DMG
• Type & Sequence: MR125
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

:~
Mountain Coal Company
West Elk Mine
Post Office Box 591
Somerset, Colorado 81434
Telephone [phone]
Fax [phone]
~E~;FIV~D
June 29, 1994
Ms. Christine Johnston
Division of Minerals and Geology
Office of Mined Land Reclamation
1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203-2273
,JUG 61994
Ctvislon of P~lulelals ~ veu~uSY
RE: Response to Comments -Minor Revision No. 125; West Elk Mine; Permit No. C-80-007
Dear Ms. Johnston;
III IIIIIIIIIIIII III
U response to your letter of June 23, 1994, the following addresses those items necessary for wmpleteness
of Minor Revision No. 125.
Item 1 -The duration of the exploration activities covered under MR No. l25 is estimated to take
approximately 4 weeks. The construction, drilling, and reclamation, of sites R and S should total
approximately 2 weeks per hole. The access road upgrade should wmmence a few days prior to moving
the drill rig onto the site. Drilling should take approximately 1 week per hole. Reclamation activities will
commence shortly after hole completion and will take only a few days to complete. This project is
scheduled to commence around the end of ]uly.
Item 2 - Mountain Coal Company's (MCC) right of access is addressed in Section A of the revision
document. A description of all right of entry documentation is provided in Exhibit 12 of the existing permit
document. For your information, a letter from the B.L.M. approving Site S is attached. The access and
drilling of Site S has been reviewed with the U.S.F.S.. The Forest Service is preparing a general road use
permit, as described in the light-use toad section of the existing permit document, which includes
exploration use.
item 3 - As stated in the Minor Revision Document (page B-4), Site S occurs at an existing drill site and
will be accessed along and existing road. MCC does not believe that performing a cultural resource survey
over a previously bulldozed area will find any significant cultural artifacts.
Likewise, the access to Site R has been previously disturbed, however as stated in the Minor Revision
Document, a cultural survey of the drill pad location or deviations from the existing access trail will be
forwazded to the Division, prior to the commencement of surface disturbing activities.
Item 4 - A threatened and endangered survey will be completed for the previously disturbed access roads
and drill site, as requested by the Division. The results of that survey will be forwarded to your attention.