2008-03-21_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1980007 ‎(3)‎

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: GENERAL DOCUMENTS
• Doc Date: 3/21/2008
• Doc Name: Proposed Decision & Findings of Compliance for PR12
• From: add 1,517 acres/Dry Fork Lease
• Permit Index Doc Type: Findings
• Email Name: DIH
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Introduction
This document is the decision package prepared by the Colorado Division of Reclamation,
Mining and Safety (Division) for the West Elk Mine (WEM), Permit Revision No. 12 (PR-12).
This document includes: 1) the proposed decision to approve the permit revision application;
2) a summary which includes a history of the review of the permit application, a description of
the environment affected by the operation and a description of the mining and reclamation plan;
and 3) the written findings of compliance the Division has made as required by the Colorado
Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act. Detailed information concerning the findings of
compliance can be found in the Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for
Coal Mining.
The Division received the application for PR-12 from Mountain Coal Company (MCC), the
operator of the West Elk Mine. The application for PR-12 proposes to add the Dry Fork Federal
coal lease (COC-67232) to the permit area, expanding the mine's affected area and permit area
by approximately 1,517 acres. The application proposes mining in only the E seam within the
Dry Fork lease area. The Dry Fork lease area is comprised of coal rights underneath the following
lands: portions of Sections 35 and 36, Township 13 South, Range 90West; parts of Sections 1, 2,
11, and 12, Township 14 South, Range 90 West; all of the 6cn Principal Meridian. No additional
surface disturbance is proposed in PR-12. (Surface disturbances have been proposed for methane
drainage wells in the Dry Fork lease area and other areas in Technical Revisions 111 and 112,
currently in review.) The mine permit area, including the PR-12 expansion area, encompasses
approximately 17,155 acres on federal and private lands within Gunnison and Delta Counties,
Colorado. These lands include all or portions o£ Sections 9 through 36 (inclusive), Township 13
South, Range 90 West; Sections 23 through 26 (inclusive), Township 13 South, Range 91 West;
and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, Township 14 South, Range 90 West; all of the 6`n
Principal Meridian. The lands within the permit area can be found on the USGS 7.5 minute
Quadrangle maps of Bowie and Somerset.
Proposed Decision
The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety proposes to approve the application
for Permit Revision 12, with conditions. This decision is based on a finding that the operations
will comply with all requirements of the Colorado State Program as found in the Colorado
Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act, C.R.S. 34-33-101 et seq., and the Regulations
promulgated pursuant to the Act. If no request for a formal hearing is made within thirty (30)
days of the first publication of the issuance of this proposed decision, then this decision becomes
final. Upon submittal of acceptable surety by MCC, the permit will be issued. The permit
application, all supporting documentation and any stipulations or conditions will become a
binding part of the permit.
Active permit stipulations that are attached to permit C-80-007 immediately prior to issuance of
this proposed decision for PR-12 are listed below. Inactive permit stipulations are listed in
Appendix "A" at the end of this Findings document.
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