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RECEw!/ED • lJ ~ MOUPr1AlN COQI A Subsidiary of Arch Wesem Resources, LLC. June 27, 2001 Ms. Susan Spear, District Ranger United States Forest Service P.O. Box 1030 Paonia, Colorado 81428 MAR '' 4 ?002 DIYISIOn of Minerals and Geology West Elk Mine P.O Box 591 i 17a Hichway 133 Somerset, CO 81434 (970)929-5015 Fax (970)929-5595 Re: Mountain Coal Company LLC (MCC), West Elk Mine; Permit No. C-80-007; Minor Revision 270, Thermal Event Update and Request to Reclaim the Thermal Event Drill Pad Area. Dear Ms. Speaz: MCC is submitting this letter of request for authorization to permanently reclaim the roads and pads associated with the Thermal Event Drill Pad Sites. This request for authorization is for the 2001 phase of reclamation (earthwork, seeding, fertilizing, mulching, and installation of sediment control measures). The earthwork portion of reclamation will be the grading of subsoil to the approximate original contour, and then topsoil replacement. The revegetation portion of reclamation will be to seed, feailize, and mulch the area. Afrer these steps are completed, MCC will install sediment control which includes, silt fence, erosion control netting, and strawbale sediment traps. The information contained in this request will update the USFS to June 30, 2001, as to the progress made by MCC to abandon wells. The wells have been properly abandoned as proposed in our letter dated, June 12, 2001, to the United States Forest Service (USFS). The wells were used for water injection, and to monitor the water and gas levels in the West Elk Mine during a thermal event, which began on or about January 28, 2000. MCC has successfully abandoned the remaining wells in the thermal event drill pad area. Our well abandonment contractor will be de-mobilizing soon from the area. The well completion reports were sent previously to the USFS and the well abandonment reports will be forwazded to the Division, USFS, and BLM, as soon as we receive them from our contractor. The attached map shows the locations of topsoil piles that will be used in reclaiming the drill pad sites. Approximately 6.0 acres will be reclaimed in 2001. This area is nearly the same as the area reclaimed in 2000. The topsoil stockpiles were surveyed and the volumes were calculated to be approximately 6,266 cubic yards. This will allow approximately 7 or 8 inches of topsoil to be evenly distributed over the area. The map also depicts the phased approach to earthwork activities. This is a loeical progression to avoid reworking of reclaimed areas and maintain access into the area during reclamation.