Laserfiche WebLink
03/18/2009 12:29 9702475104 <br />DMG DURANGO OFFICE PAGE 07/21 <br />t <br />Envimmmcnpl Scimlyd and EnR:nmry, ux @ta .. <br />Anganf 12,2048 <br />Mr. Ross Gubkn <br />Weetem Puele Colorado LLC <br />Box G28 <br />Nucia Colundo 81424 <br />Sull1cm R VAST) Subsoil Suitability Study <br />Naw H.Hern Mine <br />Walsh Project No 7873 -010 <br />near Mr. Cubits <br />welch Bnvrmnmcntal Scirnnste & Bngineers,LLC(Wa lab) hoc performed a Limited soil imemli en <br />and Lnspestinns of operahom at the New Horiran Me, in Neely Celorado. Work wax 4onduse d <br />under contract to W een" Fuels— Colorado I I C (WPC), This letter dm nbm invests mou <br />t44hniq um results, and Iheh "Phem on m mine operations and is s vi <br />revision of of the original mil <br />mvcsti8ationdated Mu-h20,2008. ReHslons are basal on coramante received from the Division of <br />Rentamatimr, Mining, and Safery (DAMS) in a latter decd May 2R 2008. <br />Backgeeend <br />The New Horizon Mine mines coal under. DAMS ynmiq Thcperestdetive.milhaadling <br />procedures that Irove been followed by WFC. Prinl to February 2008, the permit did not mcngnlae any <br />foil within the permit boundary az hdng' (N fannlm oi l as e d i n g i and by <br />in the DAMS rcgulaLLOm <br />the 111 CS.1i g COnsor MRCS). Soil h eeding hating was con,%istrnr with the permit <br />and nw NRCS ruling prier tv P<tmit issuance that thn4 wero Prime farrnlmd soil within the permit <br />area. to Pebruary2008,rbe NRCSdetmmin4dthatsomcorthcsoil within the permit boundary <br />qualified m prime farmland. Some of that prime farmland had be= mined and ceelaimed, some had <br />been mined but had not yet hem r`Wy retlam4d, and most of tine material has not yet been mined, <br />WPC has chosen t4 taco stelae to ensure 'hat the unmend -Cd mined era tins' has been —1 amifed as <br />pi [me f mland is replaced enth soil and subsoil that is suitable to rmtprc prime fermlaM <br />chvncicrisxics. <br />Milling Operc6dn <br />Coal is mined by stripping topsoil in one rn two IifLs, mx1imica0y stripping subsoil and weathered <br />Dakou Formation bedrock 4verburdrn. blosdng remaining bedrock aver6ucden, and mining coal. The <br />mining pit is backfilled that with the intcrbuNrn and 61mtW 4vmbuMen fnllgwed by plrotneet fthe <br />wcshcretl bWrvak ovmburdm, and !Nally tlt4 mil liR(aJ, <br />The working face of the ly f ntic (s s <br />ticoom J end is mnany fn' 30 to 30 fact ofweathemd sandstone and shale bedrock that has <br />poleanle (sec photo.). This material is called ^Bench I" or "overburden unit <br />r material in the pertnit and by WFC. It grader imperceptibly into the overlying soil , and ..Qrn <br />wrve.o slow p1.1,1an, <br />}3 ;am: , d4.cnue.Onrci lun."..C.bne4 alto i.ir90. PA,:a6 (eA) kriAmd, l4M)ad1d312 wnM.v.mm <br />Corp... ptten: <br />M1.Ba 14rv1 ass, isrcle. Sule� tOB . Ppultl¢, Cnln�f 8a3m.N'13 . Vaove t3M) 4 3.ta81. MX QV3) "M.167 <br />• <br />(Revised Nov 2008) Attachment 2,05.4(2)(d }1-2 <br />