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<br />To the south of Foidel Creek, operations at Mine 1 and Eckman <br />Park have extracted coal from the Wedge seam along a dip slope <br />which extends from the headwaters of Foidel Creek for several <br />miles to the northeast. Mining began along the northeast end of <br />the dip slope in the vicinity of the Mine 1 permit area in the <br />early 1960'x, and mining operations have progressed from <br />northeast to southwest, with Eckman Park located to the southwest <br />of Mine 1. <br />Mining, backfilling, topsoiling and reseeding has been completed <br />at all areas of this permit with the exception of some small <br />areas associated with the dragline parking area. In its final <br />years of production in the late 1980's the mine produced <br />approximately of 1.2 million tons/year. <br />Area 61 pits were oriented along the dip of the coal seam such <br />that mining progressed from northeast to southwest, while area 51 <br />pits were oriented parallel to the strike of the coal seam such <br />that mining progressed up the dip elope from northwest to <br />southeast. During initial operations in Eckman Park, boxcut <br />spoils were placed in two approved excess overburden disposal <br />areas along the toe of the dip slope adjacent to Foidel Creek. <br />Construction of both overburden piles is complete, and overburden <br />from each successive dragline cut was spoiled into the preceding <br />cut. Dragline spoil ridges were dozed and graded to create slope <br />configurations approximating the original contours. Grading was <br />followed by topsoil distribution and stabilization, seeding and <br />planting. <br />All of the facilities along the base of the dip slope on either <br />side of Foidel Creek have been transferred to the sister <br />underground operation, Foidel Creek Mine, operated by Twentymile <br />Coal Co., permit # C-82-056. However, for the record, the <br />following facilities were at one time used at the Eckman Park <br />complex and they include a shop and warehouse complex covering <br />approximately 28 acres; the Tipple No. 2 facility which covers <br />approximately 15 acres and includes a raw coal stockpile, stoker <br />coal facility, truck dump, primary and secondary crushers, a <br />sampling building, covered conveyors, and crushed coal stockpile; <br />the 16,000 sq. ft. main office complex; a 3 acre explosives <br />bunker; and a 14 acre equipment construction, servicing and <br />storage area. Numerous sedimentation ponds remain in place to <br />control runoff from disturbed areas of Eckman Park, Mine 1 and <br />Mine 2. Sedimentation ponds associated with this permit are as <br />follows: <br />POND NPDES OUTFACE SITE NPDES PERMIT # DRAINAGE <br />A 001 39 CO-0027154 Foidel Creek <br />D 005 84 CO-0027154 Foidel Creek <br />F 007 87 CO-0027154 Foidel Creek <br />10 <br />