PERMFILE118841

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/4/2002
• Doc Name: Request for Minor Revision for 2 Drill Holes
• From: MCC
• To: DMG
• Section_Exhibit Name: Exhibit 80 Drilling Activities - MR283
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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~~MOUNTAIN (OAL
1.-'(OMPANYL.L.C.
A Subsidiary of Arch Western Resources, LLC
August 31, 2001
Mr. James Burnell
Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (CDMG)
Office of Mined Land Reclamation
1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
iiiiiiiuiiiiiuiii
999
Wes[ Elk Mine
P.O. Box 591
5113 Highway Ili
RECEIVE[~;o 92950151373
Fax [phone]
SEP 0 4 2001
Division of Minerals 8 Ge^'"'~
Re: Mountain Coal Company LLC (MCC), West Elk Mine; Permit No. C-80-007; Minor
Revision No. 283, Request for Approval of Gob Vent Degas Borehole Pads 15-08; and 15-09 Alt.
Dear Mr. BurnelL•
MCC is requesting a minor revision to the mining and reclamation permit for additional drill pads Nos.
1 ~-08; and 15-09 Alt. As we discussed in our telephone conversation, MCC has requested
authorization from the United States Forest Service (USFS) to drill from pad No. 15-08 and 15-09 Alt.,
on August 30, 2001. We expect that the USFS will grant a Categorical Exclusion (CE) for the
following pads on the west-end of Panels 14 and 15 on August 31, 2001, Pad Nos. 14-06, 15-06, 15-
07, 14-08 (formally 14-07), 15-08, and 15-09 Alt., and one exploration hole (AAA) that we had
requested previous authorization and approval for. The letters requesting authorization from the USFS
for 15-08 and 15-09 Alt. are attached as part of this Minor Revision (MR)..4 copy of the request to the
USFS was also sent to Desty Dyer of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
The Minor Revisions that will be affected by the USFS CE, Memorandum of Decision include MR
Nos. 278 (AAA), 280 (14-07, now 14-08), 282 (14-06, 1 ~-06, and I5-07), and this Minor Revision No.
283 (15-08 and 15-09 Alt.).
Borehole pads 15-08 and 15-09 Alt. are located on or near the existing roadways. MCC wanted to
ensure that the pads were site specifically cleared for biological and cultural resources. The roadways
were previously surveyed for threatened and endangered and sensitive species and cultural resources
(100 feet either side of centerline). Enclosed for your review is a map depicting the locations of the
drill pads.
The proposed drill pads aze on USFS surface-owned property and are situated on MCC's Federal Coal
Lease COC 56447 (Box Canyon Lease) and are within the current permit area boundary. The specific
locations have been flagged in the field and are located in Sections 26 and 27, of T.13 S., R. 90 W., 6"'
PM.