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owvisions
ENERGY
GAS AND OL.
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES
‘MINEO LANO RECLAMATION
MINERAL MING
wanes
ADMINISTRATION.
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy
P.O, Drawer 900
Big Stone Gap. Virginia 24219-0900
(276) 523-8100 FAX (276) 523-8148
www.dinme.virginia,goy
MEM NDUI
TO; Golden Pond Gob Pile Removal Project File
FROM: Gavin M. Bledsoe, Reclamation Services Manager
Lesa C. Baker, Abandoned Mine Land Projects Coordinator
Gregory F. Baker, Reclamation Program Manager
Phillip C. Mullins, Chief Engineer
RE: Determinations and Findings for Government Financed Construction
Project; AML Enhancement
DATE: — October 16, 2018
The "Golden Pond”, is a 32 acre AML gob pile site (mapped as a Tailings Pond) and it is AML
cligible. The initial Chapter 19 permit application for Clinchtield Coal Company (Moss 3) Permit
Number 1300481 (issued 12/29/1983) notes the area as Pond 7, "The sediment control structure
esigned as Pond 7(Sediment basin No 7 in Virginia DMLR Permit Neto 2607-U) in the surface
Grainage plan for the Moss No. 3 Preparation Plant was completed by November 1980.” Permit
2607-U was permitted to Clinchfield Coal Company on SO7/78. Virginia primacy date is
December 15, 1981. All mapping both current and historic doce. not show any evidence this
Renate has been affected by a Title V permit. The permit was transferred tn Russell County
Reclamation LLC, Permit Umber 1302253 on 4/2/18, The Permittee deleted Pond 7 or the “Golden
Pond” feature from the permit, effective June 5, 2018, This 32-acre 80b pile has had no recovery
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
‘TDD (800) 828-1120 Virginia Relay Center
interest from the adjacent preparation plant for the many years of its existence. This removal
project could be the last chance to remove this gob area.
There is no continuing responsibility for any individual, firm, or organization to
reclaim this site.
Over the past twenty years, DMME has made a concerted effort to eliminate
abandoned mine related sediment from entering the Guest River. DMME’s work has
been accomplished through routine AML projects and also through partnership efforts
with the Guest River local watershed group, Lonesome Pine Soil and Water
Conservation District, and the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable. Complete removal
of the pile will be another effort to eliminate AML sediment from the stream.
Incidental coal recovered during the complete removal of the pile will be trucked to
Dominion’s Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center near St. Paul. The gob product from
the Golden Pond Gob Pile project would be blended with high Btu coal to produce a
fuel source for the power plant. Many other gob piles have provided fuel for the power
plant. DMME has realized tremendous cost savings through reclaiming these piles
under the AML enhancement rule.
DMME would accomplish reclamation of the Golden Pond Gob pile through
compleie removal of the pile. Unmarketable material would be backfilled and covered
with suitable material then seeded.
It must be highlighted that permitting this gob pile would not ensure abatement of
the AML hazards, Under a permit, a company could only mine the profitable area of
the pile, leaving the remainder as abandoned mine lands that would continue to have
combustion potential. Further, any permitting of the pile would complicate AML
eligibility determinations.
In order to accomplish the Golden Pond Gob Pile Removal project, we have
consulted and made the following determinations:
1, There is little likelihood of coal being mined at a site under a Title V permit.
This determination takes into account information including

The gob pile has been in place for over eighty years and has not been

permitted for coal surface mining and reclamation operations.

Paramont Coal Company Virginia, LLC operates a coal preparation
plant a few mile from the pile. In over thirty years, Paramont hasnt
made efforts to mine and reprocess this pile. DMME personnel believe
the costs associated with permitting and reclaiming the site as Title V
operation far exceed any profits that could be realized through
reprocessing the pile.

There are no gob pile reprocessing operations in the area,
“The pile’s size makes this a difficult operation to recover or mine.

There is little likelibood that nearby or adjacent mining activities might create
new environmental problems or adversely affect existing environmental
problems at the site. This determination takes into account information
including:

The project site is isolated.
Coal mining in areas nearby or adjacent to the project is conducted
under permanent program regulations that protect and enhance
environmental features.

Coal reserves in this area are largely mined out.


There is little likelihood that reclamation activities at the site might adversely
affect nearby or adjacent mining activities. This determination takes into
account information including:

4 The Gob removal actives will be coordinated with Russell County
Reclamation LLC PN 1302253 and (Pilot 2017) Project Reclaim
#91706.

The reclamation project would implement effective environmental
safeguards.
“There is no history of acidic or toxic material with this pile and
associated strata.

oo
In consideration of the findings and determinations referenced above, we make the
following recommendations:

The Golden Pond Gob Pile Removal Project will be accomplished as a
government financed construction project.
Incidental coal recovery is not likely to occur during project excavation and this
recovery however if itis the site will be exempt from the requirements of the
Virginia Coal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1979. The most
successful and permanent reclamation alternative is to totally remove the pile
and dispose of the unmarketable material on previously mined lands to
eliminate AML features. Gob material will be removed from the pond in several
increments and coal removal would be limited to the incidental coal that could
be recovered as the gob pile material is removed to natural ground. The limits of
gob removal and incidental coal recovery will be limited to that area shown on
the attached map. Coal that is not directly associated with gob will not be
removed from the project site.
Proceeds from the incidental coal extraction will go to offset the project
reclamation cost. The gob removal will ultimately create the site for Project
Reclaim that will develop an industrial site to support economic development in
Russell County.

In stating the above recommendations, we concur to the following determinations:


The boundaries of the Golden Pond Gob Pile Removal Project and limits of
incidental coal extraction are the boundaries shown on Attachment A.


A listing and status of mining permits adjacent or near the Golden Pond Gob Pile
Removal Project is shown on Attachment B.


Typical sections of the pile and disposal area are shown on Attachment C.


Total removal of the pile is an engineering necessity to achieve the successful
and permanent abatement of the abandoned mine land features. Coal recovery
through reprocessing and proper refuse disposal will occur.


Prior to commencement of reclamation activity, the Division will have specific
plans and specifications for the project. The project will be conducted in
accordance with the provisions of 30 CFR Subchapter R. The Division will also


ensure that the project contractor provides the Division with documents that
clearly authorize the extraction of coal and payment of royalties.
esc. Bakertilbl- _CZogpt —
Abandoned Mine Land Projects Coordinator Reclamation Program Manager
ATED Tass (Mable
Reclamation Services Manager Chief Engineer
ia
Division Diregtor
Attachment A
Golden Pond Gob Pile Removal
Project limits in red
Proje Redan
Se here impoondmem
ae arseaaz wr
De 50500 11
Attachment B
Golden Pond Gob Pile Removal
Adjacent permits
Russell County Reclamation 1302253; coal preparation and refuse disposal; in
active status.
Attachment C
Golden Pond Gob Pile Removal
Typical sections
Tititt
= las
Bes