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STATE OF COLORADO
<br />DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
<br />Department of Natural Resources
<br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215
<br />Denver, Colorado 80203
<br />Phone: (303) 866-3567
<br />FAX: (303) 832-8106
<br />August 18, 2008
<br />Carl Johnston
<br />Office of Surface Mining
<br />Western Regional Coordinating Center
<br />1999 Broadway, Suite 3320
<br />P.O. Box 46667
<br />Denver, CO 80202-3050
<br />Re: West Elk Mine (Permit No. C-1980-007)
<br />Permit Revision Application No. 14 (PR-14)
<br />Methane Drainage Wells for Longwall Panels E2 Through E12
<br />Dear Mr. Johnston:
<br />COLORADO
<br />D I V I S 10 N OF
<br />RECLAMATION
<br />MINING
<br />SAFETY
<br />Bill Ritter, Ir.
<br />Governor
<br />Harris D. Sherman
<br />Executive Director
<br />Ronald W. Cattany
<br />Division Director
<br />Natural Resource Trustee
<br />The Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety hereby issues notice, in accordance with Title 34, Article 33, Section 118,
<br />Paragraph 3, of the Colorado Revised Statutes, that on August 18, 2008, an application to revise coal mining operations at the
<br />West Elk Mine was considered complete for the purposes of filing. All review and comment periods as provided in the Act and
<br />the Regulations initiate from this date of filing.
<br />The applicant proposes to drill up to 152 methane drainage wells to the mine's underground workings in longwall panels E-2
<br />through E-12, during the next 12 years. The wells will be drilled within the applicant's existing coal leasehold and mining
<br />permit area, on Federal (USFS) and private lands. The total aggregate surface disturbance will be approximately 80 acres within
<br />an approximate 6-square mile area. A Federal Environmental Impact Statement was previously prepared for this project. The
<br />applicant is substituting this Permit Revision 14 for the proposed drilling project previously submitted to the Division as
<br />Technical Revision 112.
<br />The underground coal mining operation is on land located approximately 9 miles East of Paonia, Colorado. The permit area is
<br />further described as follows:
<br />All or portions of. Sections 9 through 36 (inclusive), Township 13 South, Range 90 West; Sections 23 through 26
<br />(inclusive), Township 13 South, Range 91 West; and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, Township 14 South, Range 90
<br />West; all of the 6th Principal Meridian.
<br />The above-mentioned tracts of land are shown on USGS 7.5 minute Quadrangle maps of Bowie and Somerset.
<br />A copy of the revision application is available for public inspection at the Gunnison County Clerk and Recorder, 221 N.
<br />Wisconsin, Gunnison, CO 81230, and at the Division office. For additional information, to provide written comments, or to
<br />request an informal conference, contact the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, Room 215, 1313 Sherman Street,
<br />Denver, Colorado 80203, (303) 866-3567, within thirty (30) days after the last public notice in the Delta County Independent.
<br />Sincerely,
<br />j lcf,
<br />Tom Kaldenbach
<br />Environmental Protection Specialist
<br />Office of Office of
<br />Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines
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