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A MOUNTAIN COAL <br />/ COMPANYL.L.C. <br />A Subsidiary of Arch Westem Bituminous Group, LLC <br />May 30, 2012 <br />Mr. James R. Stark <br />Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />Office of Mined Land Reclamation <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Re: Mountain Coal Company, LLC, West Elk Mine; Permit No. C- 1980 -007; Annual <br />Reclamation Report for 2011 — Response to Review Comments <br />Dear Mr. Stark: <br />West Elk Mine <br />P.0 Box 591 <br />5174 Highway 133 <br />Somerset, CO 81434 <br />(970) 929 -2200 <br />Fax (970) 929 -5050 <br />RECEIVED <br />Jr4 04 ?O1? <br />t=a:. _ of Ne,,ianotitin <br />Mining and Scilly <br />Mountain Coal Company, LLC (MCC) submits the following responses to comments in the Division's <br />review letter dated April 26, 2012. MCC's responses are provided below in the same numerical order <br />as your review comments. A revised 2011 Annual Reclamation Report (ARR) that has been corrected <br />as described below is also included. <br />1. As stated in the cover letters for the 2009 and 2010 Annual Reclamation Reports, the number of acres <br />seeded each year was slightly higher than the acres topsoiled to account for the reclamation of helicopter - <br />accessed drill holes where no site preparation was conducted, so no topsoiling was needed. As such, no <br />change to that portion of the 2011 ARR was needed. <br />2. The 2011 ARR form has been corrected to show the same number of acres for the Entire Life of Mine and <br />for the Government Performance and Results Act. <br />3. Under the heading for the Government Performance and Results Act, the acreage in long -term mining or <br />reclamation facilities is correctly shown as 476.52 acres, and is inclusive of the main mine site and outlying <br />ventilation facilities and and methane drainage wells. In past reports since 2005, the acreage in active <br />mining areas has been shown as 270 acres for the Main Mine site and Sylvester Gulch areas only (except <br />for 2007 when it was shown as zero.) After studying footnote 3 more carefully, I concluded that the 270 <br />acres was listed in this area because it is the active mine site, but realized that the 2007 report was likely <br />the most accurate as the footnote specifically states that this acreage includes pits, stripped areas for pits, <br />and spoil stockpile areas and not anything having to do with an underground mine operations at all. As <br />such, I've corrected this entry to show "N /A — West Elk Mine is an underground mine operation so there are <br />no pits or spoil stockpiles that are part of active mining areas ". Again, all acres are correctly shown on the <br />first line under the bolded heading. <br />4. No response required <br />5. No response required <br />Please contact me at (970) 929 -2238 or by e-mail should you have questions regarding this submittal. <br />Sincerely, <br />Kathleen G. Welt, <br />Environmental Engineer III <br />cc: Weston Norris — MCC <br />