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STATE OF COLORADO
<br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
<br />Department of Natural Resources
<br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215
<br />Denver, Colorado a0203
<br />Phone: (303) 86rr3567
<br />FAX: (303) 832-a106
<br />October I I, 2005
<br />Carl Johnston
<br />Office of Surface Mining
<br />Western Regional Coordinating Center
<br />P.O. Box 46667
<br />Denver, CO 80201-6667
<br />Re: West Elk Mine (Permit No. C-1980.007)
<br />Technical Revision Application No. 105 (TR-105)
<br />Vent Shafts at Refuse Pile Expansion
<br />Deaz Mr. Johnston:
<br />COLORADO
<br />DIVISION O F
<br />MINERALS
<br />GEOLOGY
<br />aill Owens
<br />Governor
<br />Russell George
<br />Executive Director
<br />Ronald W. Cattany
<br />Division DireROr
<br />Natural Resource Trustee
<br />The Division of Minemis and Geology hereby issues notice, in accordance with Tide 34, Article 33, Section 1 l6, Paragraph 4,
<br />of the Colorado Revised Statutes, that on October 11, 2005, an application to revise coal mining operations at the West Elk
<br />Mine was considered complete for the purposes of filing. The revision was submitted by Mountain Coal Company, LLC. All
<br />review and comment periods as provided in the Act and the Regulations initiate from this date of filing.
<br />The mine opetator proposes to bore two vertical shafts fmm a pad that is to be constructed on a hillslope above one of the
<br />mine's sediment control ponds that is next to Highway 133, 2 miles east of Somerset, Colorado. The proposed shaft site is in
<br />SEI/4 Section 10 and NEI/4 Section I5, T.13S., R.90W., in Gunnison County. The operntor proposes to bore the shafts on an
<br />approximate I.5-acre parcel of land owned by the mine operator within the existing mine permit boundary, and does not
<br />propose to add disturbed area. The purpose of the shafts will be to provide ventilation to the West Elk Mine underground
<br />workings.
<br />The underground coal mining operation is on land located approximately 9 miles East of Paonia, Colorado. The permit area is
<br />further described as follows:
<br />Portions of Section 29, 30, 31, and 32, Township 12 South, Range 90 West;
<br />Portions of Sections 25, 26, 27, 34, 35 and 36, Township 12 South, Range 91 West;
<br />Portions of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, all of 6 and 7, Portions North of [he North Fork of the Gunnison River in Sections 8, 9, I Q
<br />portions of Sections I I, 12, 17, and 18, Township 13 South, Range 90 West;
<br />Portions of Sections I-3, I I-13, Township 13 South, Range 91 West;
<br />Portions of Sections 6 & 7, Township 13 South, Range 89 West of the 6th P.M.
<br />The above-mentioned tracts of land are shown on USGS 7.5 minute Quadrangle map of Somerset.
<br />The applicant is required to publish notice in a local newspaper that this application has been deemed complete. At the time of
<br />publication of this notice, the applicant is additionally required to place a copy of this application at the Gunnison County Clerk
<br />and Recorder, 200 E. Virginia, Gunnison, CO 81230, and at the Division office. For additional information or to provide
<br />written comments, contact the Division of Minerals and Geology, Room 215, 1313 Sherman Street, Denver, Colorado 80203,
<br />(303) 866-3567. In order for us to comply with regulatory time frames, we request that comments be submitted within fifteen
<br />(15) days of this letter. If no comments are received by then, we will proceed on the assumption that you have no concerns
<br />with, or objections to, the applicant's proposal.
<br />Sincerely,
<br />i~./~
<br />Tom Kaldenbach
<br />Environmental Protection SpeCialict
<br />C-TR~~1~80007_TAK_20051011_22152 PM Office of Colorado
<br />Mined land Reclamation Active and Inactive Mines Geological Survey
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