2013-08-13_PERMIT FILE - X201323004 (2)

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MODIFICATION FOR ADDITIONAL DRILLING SITES AND ACCESS Fifteen holes were rotary drilled and completed under COC -74817 during 2011. All drill holes have been plugged and the data transmitted to the BLM per regulation. The exploration roads have been maintained as stipulated. Some of the existing drill sites may be re- drilled to obtain core data. Under such scenario the re- drilled holes would be located on the existing drill pads with holes offset by 10 or 15 feet from the original rotary drilled hole. The requested modification includes the rotary drilling and geophysical logging of up to 14 new exploration holes. The drill sites are located between prior drill sites to clarify inconsistencies in the B -Seam coal deposit by reducing drill hole spacing. Many of the holes will be core drilled. Exhibit A (in the pocket) shows the location of the access trails for the 14 newly requested holes, the boundary of Deserado Mine leases and current exploration license boundary. The 14 new drill sites will result in potential surface disturbances of about 0.23 acre per location or a maximum total disturbance of about 3.2 acres. Brush will be cleared and drill pads leveled for use. Some of these sites occur on grassy flats that will require little surface disturbance. Mud pits will be dug at each location to receive water that may be produced from each hole. Existing roads will chiefly be used to access the drilling sites. Some of the road segments were newly constructed in 2011 under COC -74817 and will be reused. Six of the new sites have been located such along existing roads to require very little or no new disturbance for access. Portions of these roads may need to be improved in spots to facilitate their use. New road construction will also be needed to access certain drill sites. Up to 1.4 miles (7,560 feet) of new roads would need to be constructed if all of the additional sites were drilled. At 12 feet in width, the total potential surface disturbance for new access roads would add another 2.1 disturbed acres, bringing the total potential new surface disturbances associated with the modified drilling sites to 5.3 acres (Table 7 -2). Access routes were selected based on minimizing the extent of disturbance. Much of the new access will consist of overland travel without significant disturbance, hence, impacts to the land will be held to the minimum. Site specific approval for each hole and access route will be obtained from the White River Resource Office prior to initiating ground disturbances to the proposed access routes or drilling locations.