Laserfiche WebLink
Continuous monitoring of methane, carbon monoxide, and oxygen will be performed at the <br />underground working areas, using portable devices that indicate an off-normal condition with a <br />loud alarm and flashing lights. Methane concentrations in excess of 1% will be grounds for <br />cessation of all work other than work to make ventilation improvements. Methane <br />concentrations in excess of 2% will be grounds for mine withdrawal. <br />Adequate ventilation will be provided, using two axial vane fans in series, located near the shaft <br />collar on surface. Supplemental ventilation fans and tubing will be placed, if required, at the <br />various working levels. <br />Equipment and supplies for installation of roof support materials will be on hand at all times. <br />The site will be provided with a positive means of emergency communications at all times while <br />work is being performed. If cell phone service is unavailable, a satellite phone will be provided. <br />Road Repairs and Dust Control <br />Shell is committed to safety in all our activities, and especially in road transport. Shell has <br />contracted the services of Schmueser Gordon Meyer (SGM) Engineers & Surveyors of <br />Glenwood Springs, CO to evaluate the Horse Draw Mine access road and recommend any <br />required repairs to ensure that the road will not present an undue hazard during the project. <br />The biological report by Rusty Roberts will indicate whether populations and potential habitat of <br />T&E plants occur near proposed activities. Since the last activities the roadway has been <br />encroached upon with sagebrush growth. There may be drainage issues during wet weather and <br />"muddy-potholing" conditions may exist. Based on these assumptions, we propose to perform <br />maintenance as needed at major drainage crossings and other areas where alluvial- material has <br />encroached upon the existing gravel road. Next, to repair the existing roadway, we will grade <br />and compact the road in select areas to assure an adequate cross slope and crown slope to drain <br />water from the road surface. Once the grading is complete, we propose to restore the final <br />"structural" section of the roadway in these select areas with additional aggregate base course to <br />allow a "well drained" granular driving surface. <br />Because the current road width does not permit safe passing of vehicles traveling in opposite <br />directions, we propose to install up to 5 gravel turnouts in select locations with the most road <br />visibility. This will be done to minimize disturbance to sagebrush or other plant overgrowth as <br />compared with restoring access to the full road width. <br />We also propose to provide necessary ongoing maintenance as necessary to assure safe passage <br />during the operating phase of the project to allow safe road traffic to the mine. Shell plans to <br />control access to the site by a locked gate when the site has no activities. Since the road is a pre- <br />existing gravel road, at the completion of this project, we propose to leave the road in as good or <br />better than existing conditions and not perform reclamation on the road. <br />Shell acknowledges that the mine road and site are in an Area of Critical Environmental Concern <br />(ACEC) and as such special management measures are required to protect this resource. If <br />necessary, Shell will provide dust control on the access road to the Horse Draw Mine while this <br />work is being performed, per BLM requirements.