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~~, <br />~"` ~~ FEB, 26. 2008 2: 06PM <br />~~ ~ R 2 5 X008 <br />~ISHA COAL DIST 9 040 <br />~)e; <br />N4. 0731-'~~P~ <br />8 ~. I- i~ ---- <br />Coal Mine Safety and Health <br />District 9 <br />Mr. Charles Richmond <br />Porest Supervisor <br />Gxaxtd NSesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Porest <br />~z,~o Highway 50 <br />Delta, C4 8416 <br />Dear Mr. Richmond: <br />There have been inquiries as to whether my office will approve flaring of <br />methane gas venting fxorn de-gas wells that are proposed to be installed fn the e- <br />seam longwallpanel at Mountain Coal Company's Weft ~ Mine located near <br />Somerset, Coloxado. <br />Try looking into this issue, Y am awrare of the Conceptual Design fox a Coal Mine <br />Gob Well Flaxe; dated August X999 and prepax~d by the Coalbed Methane <br />Outreach Progxarn., Atmospheric Pollu#on Prevention Division of fine U.S. <br />Environmental Pxotection Agency. I am also aware of e-mails between Lune <br />Madsen of the U.S. Forest Service and Hubert Sherer of the Mine Safety and <br />Health Administration (MSHA) in which it was stated that there is no MSHA~ <br />regulation preventing hazing of methane gas at a coal mine. <br />The District 9 O,Efice of MSHA has the xesponsibility of approving mining plans <br />for all coal mines in the western part of the Utnzted States. We have approved <br />mining plans submitted by the West~lk Mine fox Iongwall muting in the P-seam, <br />Pxpezience in 7 to 6 yeaxs of Iongwall mining at the West EIk Mine has proven <br />that methane drainage is an essential element of their mine ventilation system. <br />The mine faitis alone are not capable of adequately handling the methane <br />encountexed in the seams bung mined in order to provide a safe and secure <br />environment for minexs who work underground. We have already advised the <br />~Nl'est Blk m,anagezzzez~t that we cannot approve futuxe Iongwall panels without <br />sufficient de-gas wells to conteol methane. <br />i~. <br />