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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