Permit Revision Application
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Black Mesa Permit Revision Application |
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The U.S. Office of Surface Mining (OSM) is reviewing this application for a significant revision of the mining and reclamation plan for Peabody Western Coal Company's Black Mesa-Kayenta Mines. The Black Mesa-Kayenta Mines are located on the Navajo and Hopi Reservations in northeastern Arizona near the northern edge of Black Mesa, about 25 miles southwest of Kayenta, Arizona.
The revision application proposes: -- the addition of about 20,157 acres to the currently approved permit area for the Kayenta Mine (about 42,773 acres) to incorporate the Black Mesa Mine into the permit (i.e., the administrative delay for permitting the Black Mesa Mine would be terminated and the Black Mesa Mine would be permitted under the permanent Indian Lands Program) -- the addition of about 90 to 130 acres to the permit area for a coal transportation corridor from the J23 coal resource area to the Black Mesa preparation facilities, which will require a new surface right-of-way -- new mine plans extending operations at both mines for at least 20 years beyond 2005 -- an increase in the rate of coal production at the Black Mesa Mine, and a resultant increase in water use for coal slurry transportation, to accommodate anticipated increased coal demand at the Mohave -- a coal washing facility for the Black Mesa Mine to meet the anticipated future coal quality requirements of MGS after 2007 -- new environmental baseline information for future coal resource areas to augment the existing environmental baseline studies and ongoing environmental monitoring results -- an analysis of the probable hydrologic consequences of using a water supply other than the Navajo aquifer for coal slurry transportation, as well as a significant part of the mines' operational needs.
You may send written comments or objections about the proposed revision to the Office of Surface Mining or request that the Office of Surface Mining hold an informal conference on the application. Your request for an informal conference must be in writing and must include: your name and mailing address; a brief summary of the issues to be raised by you; and whether you desire to have the informal conference conducted near the Black Mesa-Kayenta Mines. Your comments, objections, or request for an informal conference must be sent by September 15, 2004 to:
Jerry D. Gavette, Black Mesa-Kayenta Mines Team Leader
Office of Surface Mining
P.O. Box 46667
Denver, Colorado 80201-6667
Telephone number in Denver 303-844-1400 x1496.
You may also call the Office of Surface Mining, toll-free, at 1-877-274-4025 or e-mail comments, objections or request for an informal conference to Blackmesa-comments@osmre.gov.
You may review a complete copy of the revision application below, or at:
1. Navajo Nation Minerals Department-Office of Surface Mining
Window Rock Boulevard
Window Rock, AZ 86515.
2. The Hopi Tribe Office of Mining and Mineral Resources
located on Highway 264, about 1 mile east of Kykotsmovi, Arizona.
3. The Forest Lake Chapter House
located on Navajo Route 41 in Pinon, Arizona.
4. The Office of Surface Mining Albuquerque Field Office
505 Marquette NW, Suite 1200
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
5. The Office of Surface Mining Western Regional Coordinating Center
1999 Broadway, Suite 3320
Denver, Colorado.
The applicant for the revision is Peabody Western Coal Company, P.O. Box 650, Navajo Route 41, Kayenta, Arizona 86033.
Transmittal Letter
Index and Chapter 2 General Description
Chapter 3 Legal
Chapter 4 Geology
Chapter 5 Coal Recovery
Chapter 6 Facilities
Chapter 8 Soil and Overburden
Chapter 9 Vegetation
Chapter 10 Wildlife
Chapter 15 Hydrology
Chapter 16 Monitoring and Chapter 17 Hydro Balance Protection
Chapter 18 Probable Hydro Consequences
Chapter 19 Hydro Reclamation Plan
Chapter 20 Reclamation Schedule
Chapter 22 Soil Reconstruction
Chapter 23 Revegetation and Chapter 25 Maps and Plans
Appendix A-1
Appendix B J-28 Mining Area- Deep Cores