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_~1 <br />~I I III I~~II ~~~\ II{ <br />MOUNTAIN COAL <br />~~ COMPANVL.L.C. <br />A Subsidiary o(Arch Wesiem Resources, LLC. <br />June 30, 2001 <br />Ms. Susan Spear, District Ranger <br />United States Forest Service (USFS) <br />P.O. Box 1030 <br />Paonia, Colorado 81428 <br />West Elk Mine <br />P.O. Box 591 <br />5174 Highway 173 <br />Somerset, CO 81434 <br />(970)929-5015 <br />Fax (970)929-1595 <br />Re: Mountain Coal Company LLC (MCC), West Elk Mine; CDIVIG Permit No. C-80-007; <br />Submittal of Cultural and Biological Assessments for Drill Pads AAA, and BBB, Request for <br />Authorization to Drill Exploration Holes. <br />Dear Ms. Spear: <br />First, MCC will take this opportunity to thank you and the USFS for taking time to speak with us by <br />telephone on Friday, June 29, 2001. You and your entire staff in the Paonia District Office of the <br />USFS are to be commended for your responsiveness to our mining dilemma, and also, addressing the <br />complex nature of the issues surrounding the Gob Vent / De-gas Borehole Drilling Project and <br />exploration drilling. We appreciate the willingness of you and your staff to address these issues of <br />mutual concern in the Gunnison National Forest. <br />Second]y, MCC is submitting the attached information for approval from the USFS to drill exploration <br />core holes from drill pads AAA and BBB. The holes will be drilled from existing exploration drill <br />roads used for a previous Coal Exploration License. Although we had discussed the merits of BBB on <br />Friday the 29`~ ,the attached information includes the biological and cultural assessments for both <br />AAA and BBB exploration drill pads. The location of the pads and the study area occur on MCC's <br />"permit area" and on the Box Canyon Federal Coal Lease No. COC-56447, more accurately described <br />as Section Nos. 14, 23, and 24, of T13S, R90W, of the 6`s P.M. The cover letter that accompanied the <br />report from our contractor (Greystone Consultants) indicates the information was sent to the Collbran <br />Ranger District in 1998. <br />Thirdly, MCC's request for authorization to drill exploration core holes from these pads is necessary to <br />more accurately define the boundaries of a methane reservoir thought to exist in the vicinity. The <br />information from drilling will also help tts better define MCC's mine plans. <br />Finally. after you and your staff have reviewed the attached documentation, please let us know if the <br />USFS will grant our request. The USFS authorization is required prior to, or concurrent with MCC's <br />request to the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (CDMG) fora "revision° to MCC's mining <br />