2008-06-09_PERMIT FILE - C1980007 ‎(5)‎

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 6/9/2008
• Doc Name: Exhibit 79 Deer Creek Shaft and E Seam Methane Drainage Wells Project Final-August 2007
• Section_Exhibit Name: Exhibit 80 Drilling Activities - TR111
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Summary
Ventilation engineering firms develop computer
models of the mine ventilation system based on
exiting mine ventilation to project ventilation needs
for proposed future mining.
The projected ventilation plan is taken to MSHA for
preliminary discussion. Several meetings with
MSHA usually result in a plan ready for submittal.
MSHA reviews the submitted plan and can either
reject it or approve it. Once MSHA approves a plan
the contents of that plan become part of the
"Standards" (30 CFR Part 75) that MSHA enforces
as the mining takes place.
The approved ventilation plan changes as the
mining advances and each change has to be
submitted to MSHA for review and approval before
it can be implemented.
Given the prior experience with effective methane
drainage at the West Elk Mine, it is anticipated that
a MDW would be needed every 750 feet along each
longwall panel in order to meet MSHA approval
requirements for the mine ventilation plan. Based
on the mine plan configuration with panels
extending under portions of the IRA, ventilation
plan requirements convey the need to place MDWs
and access roads to them in the IRA.
The proposed action has been designed to use
directional drilling to the maximum extent possible.
However, this is limited by the thickness of
overburden (or amount of rock) overlying the E
seam. This limited thickness of overburden
precludes the ability to drill exclusively from
outside the IRA boundaries and hit the MDW
targets needed in the ventilation plan. Although use
of directional drilling opportunities has been used
as much as possible, in places the overburden is not
thick enough for directional drilling either from
outside the IRA to be practical or possible,
therefore some of the operations and hence road
construction, would be placed in the IRA.
Reclamation
A plan for reclamation would be submitted through
the DRMS permitting process and reviewed by the
Forest Setvice. These plans would be consistent
with State requirements, identified post-mining land
uses consistent with Forest Plan direction, and
incorporate any specific reclamation goals
identified in this analysis. Goals of the plan,
consistent with DRMS and FS standards include
slope stabilization and naturalization; sedimentation
and siltation control to protect water quality of near-
by surface waters; and meeting requirements to
restore roadless character; return soil productivity
as much as possible; and restore vegetative vigor,
health, species composition and diversity to support
post-mining land uses and Forest Plan goals.
Reclamation of MDW sites and roads would be
contemporaneous with construction when facilities
are no longer needed for mine operations in that
panel except for life of mine roads.
Design Criteria
The Forest Service also developed design criteria to
be used as part of the action alternatives with the
objective of protecting resources. The design
criteria are detailed in Table 2-1 of the FEIS and
address the following resource areas: transportation
and IRAs; water resources; wildlife; vegetation;
threatened, endangered and sensitive species;
visuals; geology, soils, and minerals; air quality;
recreation' cultural resources' construction
activities' drilling and completion of MDWs'
reclamation activities' and, compliance
requirements.
Alternative 3 - No Activity in
Roadless
Alternative 3 was developed to address public
concerns about additional development in the West
Elk IRA. This alternative includes all of the design
criteria those made unnecessary by the location of
road construction activities.
Figure S-3 displays activities that would occur in
this alternative. Please note that small pieces of
road appear to be accessing MDWs from the IRA.
This alternative would require further field fitting of
roads to avoid IRA to access MDWs outside the
IRA. This alternative is the same as the Proposed
Action except that it assumes no new activity in the
West Elk IRA. Differences in the MDWs and
Access Roads are discussed below.
E Seam Methane Drainage Wells (MDW) Different
From Proposed Action Include:
• Drilling and casing of up to 139 MDW located
on up to 135 drill locations over 12 years on
NFS lands. Drilling and casing of up to 19
MDWs at up to 11 sites on private land.
Constructing 14.1 miles of new access road
over 12 years. Constructing an estimated 0.6
miles of road on private land.
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S-10 Deer Creek Ventilation Shaft and E Seam Methane Drainage Wells FEIS