2008-10-10_PERMIT FILE - C1980007 (5)

Home Browse Search

E 2 through E 12 Longwall Panels Methane Drainage Wells Project Plan PR-14 Page 2 of 13 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The proposed project consists of drilling up to one hundred fifty-two (152) methane drainage wells (MDWs) in Longwall Panels E 2 through E 12, over approximately 12 years, to facilitate longwall mining in the E Seam. The proposed wells are in Sections 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, and 35 of T.13 S., R. 90 W., 6t' Principal Meridian; and Sections 1 through 5, 9 through 11 of T. 14S., R.90W., 6`1' Principal Meridian, Gunnison County, Colorado. The proposed project is within the current permitted coal mining area (Permit Number C-80-007) and on land surface managed by the US Forest Service. The wells will be drilled on Federal Coal (BLM) Lease C-1362, COC- 67232, and private fee leases. An Environmental Impact Statement was prepared for this project by the USFS. The title is Deer Creek Shaft and E Seam Methane Drainage Wells Project for the surface managed by the USFS. The US Forest Service is the surface management agency for the approval of drill pads and associated USFS low-volume roads. Roads are designed using Best Management Practices, field inspection, field variances (due to sensitive resource features) and design criteria of low-volume roads. The Record of Decisions for this project have been upheld by the USFS for the E Seam Methane Drainage Wells Project. The proposed MDWs in Longwall Panel E 2 through E 12 are part of the overall project and the decision approving their construction is no longer contingent on the Dry Fork Lease COC-67232, CDRMS Permit Revision No. 12. As such, these wells are the subject of this separate Permit Revision No. 14. The attached map "E Seam Methane Drainage Well Drilling" at a scale of 1" = 800' depicts the general locations of proposed drill pads, methane drainage wells, and USFS low-volume roads. This map also shows the proposed MDWs in relation to the inventoried roadless area, land ownership, current October 2007 (w/ Dry Fork PR-12 Permit Area Boundary) mine permit and lease boundaries and other mine features. SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY The elevations of the proposed borehole locations in Panels E 2 through E 12 range from 7700 feet above sea level (ASL) at E 12-16.5 to 8500 feet ASL at E 7-68 for MDW pads. The terrain is comprised of moderate to steep slopes and mesa tops formed within the Wasatch and Mesa Verde Formations and the colluvium layers of slope debris. The principle drainages in this area are Deep Creek, Dry Fork Minnesota Creek, and Lick Creek all are tributary or sub-tributary to the North Fork of the Gunnison River. GEOLOGY The proposed project would include drilling along the southeastern edge of the Piceance Basin within the Somerset Coal Field, occurring on the Somerset and Minnesota Pass U.S.G.S. 7 1/2- minute quadrangle maps. 2