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West Elk Mine <br />State Highway 133, completed with modifications in 1985, provides primary access to West Elk <br />Mine. Map 53 shows where the mine's main haul/access road joins the highway east of the <br />lower refuse pile. The old haul road now functions as an access road to the stack tubes and other <br />mine facilities, but was designed and may occasionally be utilized for hauling coal or coal refuse. <br />During the initial permitting of West Elk Mine, Colorado State Highway 133 was located on the <br />north side of the N. Fork of the Gunnison River. The unit train loadout facility is sited within <br />100 feet of State Highway 133. In 1981 and early 1982, MCC went through the public process <br />of obtaining approval from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) for siting of the <br />unit train loadout. Subsequently, CDOT approved the siting of the loadout facilities and the <br />CDMG granted the appropriate variance in accordance with Rule 2.07.6(2)(d)(iv). <br />In 1985, the CDOT relocated State Highway 133 to the south side of the North Fork of the <br />Gunnison River adjacent to the surface facilities of the West Elk Mine. The mine's surface <br />facilities had been constructed beginning in 1981 and were existing at the time of CDOT's <br />relocation of State Highway 133. With the highway relocation, surface facilities were existing, <br />and CDOT relocated the highway to within 100 feet of the facilities, however, the mine was not <br />required to seek a variance for the facilities which are now within 100 feet of the highway. <br />Portions of the Lower Refuse Pile (LRP) are sited within 100 feet of the relocated State Highway <br />133. MCC applied to the CDOT for approval to conduct operations within 100 feet of State <br />Highway 133. CDOT granted approval for operations within 100 feet of State Highway 133 on <br />April 8, 1986. <br />In 1997, MCC constructed the Refuse Pile Expansion (RPE) area. The RPE and the associated <br />north soil storage area are within 100 feet of the CDOT right-of-way. MCC received approval <br />from CDOT to locate operations within this area. This letter is included in Exhibit 70, Appendix <br />C. <br />Railroads <br />The West Elk Mine area is served by the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP). A 6,000-foot <br />long railroad siding and a small auxiliary siding, constructed within the right-of-way of the UP <br />railroad, serves the loadout facility (owned and controlled by UP). <br />Access Control <br />2.05-27 Revised June 2005 PRIO; Rev. January 2006; Rev. March 2006; Rev. April 2006 PRIO, May 2006 PRIO; Rev. January 2009 MR-350