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Coal Methane Drainage Proied - Panek 76-24 Wert E!k Mine • Paoe 1-3 <br />' High levels of methane, a flammable and explosive gas, pose a real danger to the health and safety of <br />rmners in the existing underground tmne. High methane levels have required temporary cessation of <br />mining operations and have had a major adverse impact on ongoing coal production. Field efforts to <br />' address the methane problem and a related study have determined that vertical methane drainage <br />wells drilled from the surface in advance of mining are the hest means of achieving effective methane <br />drainage. Development and operation of the proposed methane drainage wells, in conjunction with <br />' mine ventilation and horizontal methane drainage methods, can reduce methane concentrations in the <br />mine to safe operating levels. <br />Reduction of methane to safe operating levels would allow full development and production from the <br />federal coal leases. The existing Forest System roads network in the proposed project azea is not <br />adequate to access required surface drilling locations, so additional construction and reconstruction of <br />temporary roads is needed. <br />' 1.3 PROPOSED ACTION <br />' MCC's original request for project approval, titled, "Request for Authorization of Methane Drainage <br />Project Plan (Additional Drill Pads) and Access (Roads) on USFS Lands", was submitted to the USFS <br />on November 1, 2001. In this submittal, which involved implementation of a coal methane drainage <br />program for Panels 16 through 24 of MCC's West Elk underground mine, the initial project proposal <br />included: <br />' 1) Utilizing the existing Minnesota Creek/Dry Fork Road for general project area access <br />2) Constructing the Long Draw Road (presently closed and partially reclaimed) to access the <br />southern pazt of the project azea <br />3) Establishing an alternate project access route in Sylvester Gulch by rehabilitating and <br />improving a remnant drill road and ATV trail <br />' 4) Constructing roads where previous roads and ATV trails exist and constructing new roads <br />' S) Constructing approximately 61 temporary drill pads (some of which would also be used as <br />staging areas) <br />6) Drilling and completing approximately 73 MDWs and possibly drilling exploration drillholes <br />' ~ from the same pad locations <br />7) Operating the MDWs to drain methane from the underground mine workings <br />' 8) Plugging and sealing the MDWs and reclaiming the associated surface disturbance <br />Through preliminary review of the approval request with the USFS, consideration of public and <br />agency scoping input, and further review and refinement of the project proposal, the proposal was <br />modified [o develop the proposed action. The proposed action is presented and analyzed as <br />Alternative 2 in this EA. It includes the following components: <br />1) Use the existing Minnesota Creek/Dry Fork Road for initial project azea access until the <br />Sylvester Gulch access route is constructed and the drill pads accessed by the Upper Deep <br />Creek Road aze reclaimed <br />2) Establishing a Sylvester Gulch project area access route in by upgrading existing roads or <br />trails and constructing new road <br />' morn/um:. u<.rr ray~rr.rorer Utrr <br />usiw,m <br />Environmental Auetrmen! <br />