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INTRODUCTION <br />This document is the proposed decision of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and <br />Safety ( Division) in response to a request for a Partial Phase I Bond Release at the West Elk Mine, <br />Division permit number C- 1980 -007. The package contains four parts. These parts include: 1) <br />procedures and summary of the bond release process; 2) criteria and schedule for bond release; 3) <br />observations and findings of the Division regarding compliance with the bond release requirements <br />of the Colorado Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act and regulations promulgated thereunder; <br />and 4) the Division's proposed decision on the request for bond release. <br />Detailed information about the review process can be found in the Act and the Regulations of the <br />Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining. All Rules referenced within this <br />document are contained within the Regulations. Detailed information about the mining and <br />reclamation operations at the West Elk Mine can be found in the permit application, on file at the <br />Division offices, located at 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215, in Denver, Colorado. <br />The West Elk Mine is an underground coal mine, which is permitted and operated by the Mountain <br />Coal Company, LLC (MCC). Land for which bond release has been requested is Federal or <br />privately owned, and the coal mined was federal and privately owned. Reclamation for which the <br />Bond Release has been requested was conducted between 2002 and 2010. MCC is requesting Phase <br />I bond release on 47.65 acres. The release includes the proper plugging and abandonment of 74 <br />drill holes, the backfilling and regrading of 48 drill pads and the backfilling and regrading of <br />approximately 8.5 miles of roads. <br />West Elk Mine SL -03 Findings 2 10 August 2012 <br />