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3) Chain pillars -Each longwall will be bordered along the length of the panel by two rows <br />of chain pillars. Chain pillars are sized to minimize subsidence and provide a safe <br />mining environment. The size of chain pillars is determined primarily by seam depth and <br />seam thickness and will be adjusted as these parameters change. The ends of the <br />longwalls will be separated from the mains by one 200-foot barrier pillar. <br /> <br />4) Abandoned coal -There are several areas within each coal seam where specific coal areas <br />will be abandoned due to geological and physical mining problems. <br />III.A.7.h Damage Mitigation. BME plans to carefully observe the areas above the active mining <br />and immediately fill any tension cracks that could present a potential danger to livestock and wildlife. <br />Expected subsidence will not change the usefulness of the land which now consists of both steep <br />and gently rolling topography. <br />BME will recompense in full any loss of livestock caused by subsidence effects to any surface owner or <br />any rancher leasing surface areas from the government. Should the number of tension cracks above a <br />particular longwall present a safety hazard, BME will fence off the area above the active mining until <br />completion of the panel. Any stock ponds or reservoirs damaged by subsidence will be repaired as <br />necessary. <br />Rio Blanco County Road 65 crosses diagonally over an area above the mine where subsidence is <br />expected. The subsidence prediction study indicates that the maximum horizontal tensile strain of <br />about 6600 micro-strain over the D-Seam mine and 11,300 micro-strain over the B-Seam mine will <br />occur where County Road 65 crosses above LW-10 and LW-2B. This amount of strain could disturb <br />the road. BME plans to conduct an ongoing monitoring and maintenance program in addition to <br />posting speed limit and subsidence-hazard signs whenever coal is extracted under the county road. <br />County Road 65 will be monitored daily while mining below it and during the active subsidence period. <br />------ <br />Any damage will be repaired; including any cracks that could create a safety hazard or delay traffic. <br />BME contends that there will be no damage to the building structures in the permit area, and the only <br />use of the surface above the mine is for access and limited sheep grazing. Therefore, any subsidence <br />that may occur will not lessen the present or foreseeable use of the land. <br />III.A.7.i General Subsidence Control. BME has distributed the mining schedule to the U.S. Bureau <br />of Land Management, the only property owner within or adjacent to the area above underground <br />workings. BLM is in receipt of an R2P2 Plan for the permit area. The R2P2 Plan contains information <br />about specific areas of mining, dates of mining activities that could cause subsidence, and subsidence <br />prevention measures. <br />• Permit Renewal #3 (Rev, 8/99) III-19 <br />