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Wesr E!k Kline <br />• monitoring sites, etc. A Road Use permit, with annual updates as necessary, was issued by the U.S. <br />Forest Service which authorizes these uses and any maintenance required. These existing roads are <br />not planned to be reconstructed if they do not meet light-use road design standards, unless a <br />maintenance problem is identified, requiring a design revision. The pre-existing roads located <br />outside the mine site are not planned to be removed or restored to approximate original contour, <br />as these roads were a part of the pre-mine site original contour. <br />Department of Highway Approvals <br />State Highway 133, completed in 1985, provides the main access to the West Elk Mine. Map 53 <br />shows where the mine's main haul/access road joins the highway east of the lower refuse pile. The <br />old haul road now functions as an access road to the stack tubes and other mine facilities, but were <br />designed and may occasionally be utilized for hauling coal or coal refuse. <br />During the initial permitting of the West Elk Mine, Colorado State Highway 133 was located on the <br />north side of the N. Fork of the Gunnison River. The unit train loadout facility is sited within 100 <br />feet of State Highway 133. In 1981 and early 1982, MCC went through the public process of <br />obtaining approval from the Colorado Department of Highways for siting of the unit train loadout. <br />Subsequently, the Highway Department approved the siting of the loadout facilities and the CDMG <br />granted the appropriate variance in accordance with Rule 2.07.6(2)(d)(iv). <br />In 198, the Colorado Department of Highways relocated State Highway 133 to the south side of <br />• the North Fork of the Gunnison River adjacent to the surface facilities of the West Elk Mine. The <br />mine's surface facilities had been constructed beginning in 1981 and were existing at the time of the <br />Highway Department's relocation of State Highway 133. With the highway relocation, surface <br />facilities were existing, and the State Highway Department relocated the highway to within 100 feet <br />of the facilities, the mine was not required to seek a variance for the facilities now within 100 feet <br />of the surface facilities. <br />During 1985 and early 1986, MCC proposed the construction of the Lower Refuse Pile (LRP). <br />Portions of the LRP are sited within 100 feet of the relocated State Highway 133. MCC applied to <br />the Colorado Department of Highways for approval to conduct operations within 100 feet of State <br />Highway 133. The Colorado Department of Highways granted approval for operations within 100 <br />feet of State Highway 133 on April 8, 1986. <br />In 1997, MCC proposed the construction of the Refuse Pile Expansion (RPE) azea. The RPE and <br />the associated north soil storage area are within 100 feet of the Colorado Department of <br />Transportation (CDOT) right-of--way. MCC received approval from CDOT to locate operations <br />within this area. This letter is included in Exhibit 70, Appendix C. <br />Railroads <br />The mine area is served by an existing main line owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad <br />Company (UP). A 6,000-foot long railroad siding and a small auxiliary siding, constructed within <br />• the right-of-wayofthe UP railroad, serves the loadout facility (owned and controlled by UP). <br />2.05-26 Revised Jan /996 84'03: Revised h'ov. 1996 PRO?; Revised Jan. 1997 TR 79: Revised Jul 1997 TR8? <br />Revised On. 1998 TR86 <br />