PERMFILE100486

• Permit No: C1980007A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 4/8/2005
• Section_Exhibit Name: 2.05 Operation and Reclamation Plan
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

• feet of State Highway 133. In 1981 and early 1982, MCC went through the public process of
obtaining approval from the Colorado Department of Highways for siting of the unit train loadout.
Subsequently, the Highway Department approved the siting of the loadout facilities and the CDMG
granted the appropriate variance in accordance with Rule 2.07.6(2)(d)(iv).
In 1985, the Colorado Department of Highways relocated State highway 133 to the south side of
the North Fork of the Gunnison River adjacent to the surface facilities of the West Elk Mine. The
mine's surface facilities had been constructed beginning in 1981 and were existing at the time of the
Highway Department's relocation of State Highway 133. With the highway relocation, surface
facilities were existing, and the State Highway Department relocated the highway to within 100 feet
of the facilities, the mine was not required to seek a variance for the facilities now within 100 feet
of the surface facilities.
During 1985 and eazly 1986, MCC proposed the construction of the Lower Refuse Pile (LRP).
Portions of the LRP aze sited within 100 feet of the relocated State Highway 133. MCC applied to
the Colorado Department of Highways for approval to conduct operations within 100 feet of State
Highway 133. The Colorado Department of Highways granted approval for operations within 100
feet of State Highway 133 on Apri18, 1986.
In 1997, MCC proposed the construction of the Refuse Pile Expansion (RPE) area. The RPE and
the associated north soil storage area are within 100 feet of the Colorado Department of
Transportation (CDOT) right-of--way. MCC received approval from CDOT to locate operations
• within this area. This letter is included in Exhibit 70, Appendix C.
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The mine azea is served by an existing main line owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad
Company (UP). A 6,000-foot long railroad siding and a small auxiliary siding, constructed within
the right-of--way of the UP railroad, serves the loadout facility (owned and controlled by UP).
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Access to the West Elk Mine is controlled with electronic security gates at the lab entrance (to the
silo pad and pond MB-2R) and the main mine site entrance off State Highway 133. To enter into
the mine site, the gates will be controlled by an electronic cazd reader. To exit the mine site, an
electronic "exit loop" will activate the gates. A phone will be installed at the main mine site gate
for visitors. Locked manual gates control other entrances to the disturbed azea (i.e. Lone Pine
Gulch, the North Soil Storage Area, and the Refuse Pile Expansion). Security monitoring of the
mine area occurs as necessary.
In addition to fences and security monitoring, signs aze used to control access to the permit azea and
facilities within the azea. Signs identifying the mine azea aze displayed at all points of access from
public roads and highways. These signs show the name, business address, and telephone number of
the Permittee and identification numbers of current mining and reclamation pemuts or other
authorizations to operate. Permit boundary signs are also present along the entire perimeter of the
. disturbed mine site. Topsoil stockpiles, subsoil stockpiles, and the refuse azea aze cleazly mazked
with material identification signs.
2.05-Z6 November 2004 PRII