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State Rea. <br />AUGER MINING • <br />4.23 Peabody Coal Company is presently auger mining in an area called "Pit B" at <br />the Seneca II Mine. This is one of several areas permitted for auger mining <br />either through Technical or Minor Revisions. Peabody now proposes to auger <br />mine an area at the southern terminus of the permit area. The area is shown <br />on Exhibit 12-I as "Area E:' The proposed operation involves both the <br />Lennox and Wadge coal seams. <br />4.23.2(1) This regulation requires the applicant to leave a 250-foot wide strip of <br />unmined coal every 2,500 feet. The reason for leaving this strip of unmined <br />coal is for access (i.e. a portal) to coal reserves that could be mined by <br />underground mining methods in the future. Peabody Coal Company has <br />taken a preliminary look at possible underground mining and has determined <br />that this proposed auger area would not be an ideal location for a portal. <br />There are other areas within or near the permit area that would be better <br />suited for the location. Peabody Coal Company therefore requests a • <br />variance from this requirement. <br />4.23.2(2) Presently there is no underground mine within 500 feet of the proposed <br />auger operations. <br />4.23.2(3) In the interest of contemporaneous reclamation, angering will be completed <br />as soon as possible after the surface coal has been removed. <br />4.23.2.(4) See 4.23.2(5). <br />4.23.2(5) Special plugging procedures are not proposed for this set of auger holes. The <br />holes will be plugged by backfilling operations as a normal part of the <br />reclamation operations. Drainage from these holes will not be a problem as <br />discussed in the Hydrology Section. <br />4.23.2(6) As shown on Exhibit 12-I, auger mining is proposed near power lines. In <br />(d) order to maintain a safe working distance from the powerline structures, the <br />possibility of subsidence was given a great deal of consideration. Personal • <br />communication, published references, rock structure, and existing subsi- <br />12-3-2 <br />