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Coal Methane Drainage Project - Panelr 16-74 Wert E!k Mine • Page 1-3 <br />High levels of methane, a flammable and explosive gas, pose a real danger to the health and safety of <br />miners in the existing underground mine. High methane levels have requtred temporary cessation of <br />mining operations and have had a major adverse impact on ongoing coal production. Field efforts to <br />address the methane problem and a related study have determined that vertical methane drainage <br />wells drilled from the surface in advance of mining are the best means of achieving effective methane <br />drainage. Development and operation of the proposed methane drainage wells, in conjunction with <br />mine ventilation and horizontal methane drainage methods, can reduce methane concentrations in the <br />mine to safe operating Levels. <br />Reduction Of methane to safe operating levels would allow full development and production from the <br />federal coal leases. The existing Forest System roads network in the proposed project azea is not <br />adequate to access required surface drilling locations, so additional construction and reconstruction of <br />temporary roads is needed. <br />1.3 PROPOSED ACTION <br />MCC's original request for project approval, titled, "Request for Authorization of Methane Drainage <br />Project Plan (Additional Drill Pads) and Access (Roads) on USFS Lands", was submitted to the USFS <br />on November 1, 2001. In this submittal, which involved implementation of a coal methane drainage <br />program for Panels 26 through 24 of MCC's West Elk underground mine, the initial project proposal <br />included: <br />1) Utilizing the existing Minnesota Creek/Dry Fork Road for general project azea access <br />2) Constructing the Long Draw Road (presently closed and partially reclaimed) to access the <br />southern pazt of the project azea <br />3) Establishing an alternate project access route in Sylvester Gulch by rehabilitating and <br />improving a remnant drill road and ATV trail <br />4) Constructing roads where previous roads and ATV trails exist and constructing new roads <br />5) Constructing approximately 61 temporary drill pads (some of which would also be used as <br />staging azeas) <br />6) Drilling and completing approximately 73 MDWs and possibly drilling exploration drillholes <br />from the same pad locations <br />7) Operating the MDWs to drain methane from the underground mine workings <br />8) Plugging and sealing the MD Ws and reclaiming the associated surface disturbance <br />Through prelinaiuary review of the approval request with the USFS, consideration of public and <br />agenry scoping input, and further review and refinement of the project proposal, the proposal was <br />modified to develop the proposed action. The proposed action is presented and analyzed as <br />Altemadve 2 in this EA. It includes the following components: <br />1) Use the existing Minnesota Creek/Dry Fork Road for ini[lal project area access until the <br />Sylvester Gulch access route is constructed and the drill pads accessed by the Upper Deep <br />Creek Road aze reclaimed <br />2) Establishing a Sylvester Gulch project area access route in by upgrading existing roads or <br />trails and constructing new road <br />EnvironmemalAtturmen( <br />~i6P/Mwrd G.iG/t 1/2y )N/OSEr UlFl <br />J/f/01N <br />