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MEMORANDUM TO: THROUGH: FROM: December 20, 1989 • United States Department of the Interior OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT BROOKS TOWERS 1020 15TH STREET DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Director Deputy Director Operations and Technical Services Assistant Director Western Field Operations ~_ ~~ ~ In Reply Refer To: SUBJECT: Recommendation for Approval with Conditions of the West Elk Coal Company's Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine Mining Plan Modification for Federal Leases C-1362, C-0117192, and D-044569, Gunnison County, Colorado I. Recommendation I recommend approval with conditions of the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 mine mining plan modification for Federal leases C-1362, C-0117192, and D-044569. This is a mining plan modification for an underground mine being permitted under the Federal lands program and the approved Colorado State program and cooperative agreement. My recommendation is based on the complete technical revision application submitted by West Elk Coal Company (WECC); an environmental assessment of the proposed mining plan and alternatives prepared by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM); the decision form and summary of decision prepared by the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division (NERD); comments and concurrences of other Federal agencies; and other documents in the administrative record. Approval of this mining plan modification will authorize mining of about 20,000,000 additional tons of Federal coal within Federal leases C-1362, C-0117192, and D-044569, as shown on the map included with this decision document. Certain elements of WECC's proposal require special conditions to comply with Federal law. These special conditions, along with the special conditions of the previous mining plan approval, are incorporated into the proposed mining plan approval document. •