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`~ <br />U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <br />OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT <br />FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT <br />FOR <br />West Elk Mine <br />Federal Leases COC-56447 and C-1362 <br />Mining Plan Decision Document <br />A. Introduction <br />Mountain Coal Co. (MCC) submitted a permit application package <br />(PAP) for a permit revision for the West Elk Mine to the <br />Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) under the <br />Colorado State program (30 CFR Part 906). The PAP proposes <br />extending underground mining operations into about 2100 <br />surface acres of Federal leases COC-56447 and C-1362. The <br />proposed minino plan actions would cause no surface <br />disturbance in the mining plan areas except mining-induced <br />subsidence. <br />Under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, the Assistant <br />Secretary, Land and Minerals Management, must approve, approve <br />with conditions, or disapprove the mining plan actions for <br />Federal leases COC-56447 and C-1362. Pursuant to 30 CFR <br />Part 746, .the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and <br />Enforcement (OSM) is recommending approval of the mining plan <br />actions with conditions. <br />H. The Fropesed Action <br />The mining plan actions consist of a new mining plan for <br />Federal lease COC-56447 and a mining plan modification for <br />Federal lease C-1362. Specifically, the mining plan actions <br />proposed by MCC consist of: <br />Expansion of the permit and mining plan approval <br />areas nto the B seam of new Federal lease COC-56447. <br />Extension of the permit and mining plan approval <br />areas nto new portions of the B seam in Federal lease C-1362. <br />-~ (3) The beginning of mining in the E seam of Federal <br />leases COC-56447 and C-1362. <br />The m'_ning plan actions will initiate mining in the E seam <br />C beginning in the year 2001. Mining will then occur in the B <br />u leec and E seams with the E seam being mined first. Proposed <br />Q`~J „'"~~ production is 6 million tons per year, but the maximum <br />!_".'•'S~ production rate could reach the approved 8.2 million tons per <br />year. <br />8 and E seam mining activities wou'_d utilize existing F-seam <br />access and surface facilities. No new surface facilities <br />Z ~d 050566 0L6 V'~HM /N3:NIWOV L~~OtJ~ Wd5O'Z 6661-Z0-Zl <br />