2008-02-22_APPLICATION CORRESPONDENCE - C2008086 ‎(46)‎

• Permit No: C2008086
• IBM Index Class Name: Application Correspondence
• Doc Date: 2/22/2008
• Doc Name: PDEIS Chapter 2 Alternatives
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

CHAPTERTWO Alternatives
Access Road and Portal Roads
Access to the Red Cliff Mine site would be via SH 139. At approximately mile marker 12, CR X
(a.k.a. Mitchell Road and Power Line Road) intersects SH 139. A portion of CR X would be
widened, graveled, and paved to provide access to the mine site. The main mine access road
would provide a travelway for mine personnel, supplies, and equipment. Other roads would
provide access to the unit train loadout, preparation plant, refuse pile, and the mine portals.
Beginning at about the location of the proposed wash plant, the portal road would divert from the
CR X alignment. The upgraded CR X would be approximately 2.4 miles long with modest
grades (less than 5 percent). The portal road would be approximately 2.2 miles long with steep
grades (up to 10 percent and an average grade of about 6 percent).
Access roads are typically 20 to 24 feet wide (traveling surface), with an earth berm or guardrail
on the outside slope and a drainage ditch on the inside. The access roads would be plated with
gravel surfacing or would be paved. To control fugitive emissions, roads would be watered and
cleaned as necessary. Chemical dust suppression may also be used on heavily traveled roads to
control air pollution. Roads would be constructed and maintained in accordance with Mesa
County, BLM, and MSHA standards, as applicable and appropriate.
2.10.5 New Mine Portals
In association with the coal mine operation at the Red Cliff Mine, it is proposed to construct new
portals to access the coal reserves. Five or more entries, 18 feet wide by 8 to 10 feet high,
spaced 50 feet to 120 feet on center would be used to access the coal reserve. To begin
construction of the portal road and benches, large backhoes would be used. At least one of the
backhoes would be equipped with a rock breaker. Rock blasting would be frequently required
for this work task, because each outcrop ledge that is encountered would likely require blasting.
Blasting would be done in accordance with BLM Standard Design Practices. A dozer would
assist with the road-pioneering work, and articulated dump trucks would be used to haul and
place material. It is estimated the portal road and benches could be constructed in about six
months. Materials from the mine construction would be used in the fills to form the benches, as
shown in Table 2-9, Portal Road and Benches.
Table 2-9
PORTAL ROAD AND BENCHES
Item Number Shifts/Day Hours/Day Horsepower
Track Excavator Backhoe 1 1 10 325
Track Excavator Backhoe 1 1 10 195
Articulated Dump Trucks 2 1 20 380
Blasting Equipment 1 1 10 220
Truck Tractor/Dozer 1 1 10 350
Compactor 1 1 10 310
Supervisor/Pickup 1 1 10 N/A
Notes:
*For each piece of equipment.
N/A = not applicable
2-48