GENERAL51790

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 12/29/1994
• Doc Name: Memo Fed Lease COC-54558
• From: OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR
• To: OSM
• Permit Index Doc Type: Other Permits
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

.~
III IIIIIIIIIIIII III
United' States Department of the Interior
RECEIVED
DEC 2 9 1994
Diviabn of Mmera~s ti Ueology
OSM.DV.P094
MEMORANDUM ;'.•.. ;' ' •'
OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR
Rocky'Moun(ain Region - ',~
"7'.0.' Bor 21007,;x105. .
~-` DirtverPedernl'Ceb(er'`' '
pta`ver;•CO '80325'•
December..:8, 1994
,._~ - .
!~
Date:12/11/2001
TELE. [phone]'
• •. FAX [phone]

.12-1.205 :.
..
TO: Chief, Fed~zal Lands~Branch, Western Support Center,
Offices of` StaifaCe'~Pfining ReC'lamat~ iand't$nf-Arcement
FROM: Office of.the--Regional Solicitor, Rock~ou,. in Regi~~
SUBJECT: West Elk Mine; Mining Plan-Decision Package; Mountain
Coal Company; Gunnison~arid Delta Counties, Colorado;
Federal' Lease 'No.. COG-59538-
This office has reviewed~the'decision package for Mountain Coal
Company`s West El:k M'iihe.wfbr Fede€al L@ase `No. COC-5,4558 in
Gunnison and DelEa Counties, 'CO•loradoc`+ This.miningaplan sup-
plements the .. West E1k=Mine,min-ing p~ai7s for_Eederal Lease Nos.
C-0117192; D-044569 ;..:and C-1
r~ modified• om"Au.gust 16,,,:1985•.;
1987,-and December.22;~1989.
authorize mining of about 10
1,012 acres of Federal-Lease
362 approved on .July 15,:1981., and
Sept'ember' 27 ,,..19B5, November: 21,
'App"royal of~ this muting plan will
milloh=t"ons of.~:Fedenal coal within
No: COC-54558:.-... ,~. ._.,.. ... ,_. .
The Secretary.of.the:Interior and the State of Colorado: have
entered into-a.cooperative agreement which`delegates".to the
State permitting responsibility•for==operat'ions~~An"Federal lands
pursuant to § 523 of SMCRA.`'PUrJuant--~to•the Colorado State,
Program and the cooperative agreeinenf{=-the '.State made Findings.
for approval of the permit.a~hrendment%-application. package on
October 21, 1994. _" r_ __
The decision package includes proposed=memoranda from the
Assistant Director;•Western Support!Ceriter•,. Office :of Surface
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement~'('OSM)", to_the Director. of
OSM, and from the `Director to-the 'Assistant Secretary, Land and
Minerals Management, which.recommend "approval.with,a,condition
of the mining plan. ~ -
We find that.any•issues raised during review of the"decision '
package have been resolved and that>approval~of, the„mining plan
is consistent with applicable law. ~ ~ r