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~~MOUNTAIN COAL COMPANYL.L.C. A Subsidiary of Arch Western Rem~aces, I3.C West Elk Mine P.O. Box 591 5174 Highway 133 Somerset, CO 81434 (970)929-5015 Fax (970) 929-5595 Lastly, due to the concern of spontaneous combustion occurring in the bleeder entries of the current ingwall panel district (Longwall Panels 14 through 16), MCC has decided to and is implementing a plan to seal the district prior to mining Longwall Panel 17, The spontaneous combustion azeas of concern will be sealed behind with this plan (which is the best and industry accepted manner in which to resolve the issue). Not sealing the area would greatly increase the risk of another spontaneous combution event and MCC wishes to avoid this situation, especially with the abundance of methane on the east side of the mine. The issue with sealing the azea is the methane exhausters on Longwall Panels 14 through 16 will have little or no beneficial effect for draining methane from Longwall Panel 17 mining. As a result of these circumstances, MCC respectfully requests to drill up to 3 MDWs (17-Old, 17-01 e, and 17-01 f) from a location approximately 600 feet east and 600 feet north of the pad used for drilling 17-01 a, 17-O1 b, and 17-01 c. It is our intent to construct a pad on the existing road prism that was cleared for access in the May 31, 2002, United States Forest Service Decision Notice for this project. MCC plans to access the site just as the 17-01 pad was accessed earlier in 2002. Access will require the opening of roads (clearing of snow) from the Minnesota Creek Corrals to the 17-O1 pad. Equipment required to access will include dozers, road grader, a track mounted excavator, and several pick-up trucks. MCC plans to use the same type of equipment, methods and procedures as used in the 2002 MDW drilling project, specifically using the LM-140 drill from Lang Exploratory Drilling. Drilling depths aze estimated to be 1600 feet and directional drilling methods will be required. In addition to the drill rig, equipment required will include, but not limited to: winch truck, crane truck, rubber tired backhoe, light plant, rubber tired water and fuel truck (may be skid mounted), vacuum truck, booster and auxiliary compressors, tool trailer and vazious pick-up trucks. Mobilization will require approximately l O loads. Once mobilization to the site is complete, routine traffic to the drill site will include, but not be limited to: 1-supervisory truck per shift, 1-winch truck per shift, 1- drilling crew truck per shift, 2- MCC trucks per shift, two directional drilling service trucks per day when drilling, 2 water skid trucks per shift when drilling, and 1-maintenance service truck per shift. Water for drilling will be supplied by either Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek or Deep Creek. Either creek could supply the drilling needs and MCC has water rights in both which would allow for this activity. Once drilling is completed, activities to transport methane exhausters to the site and required follow-up service and monitoring would occur.