Department of Environmental Protection Office of Explosives and Blasting PUBLIC NOTICE OF BLASTING OPERATIONS Notice is hereby given that Independence Coal Company, Inc., 782 Robinson Creek Road, Madison, WV 25130, Phone No. (304) 369-7772, Surface Mine Permit No. S-5023-96 situated in Crook and Sherman Districts of Boone County and Marsh Fork District of Raleigh County, approximately 1.5 miles southeast of Twilight, WV, will be conducting blasting activities in accordance with all State and Federal Laws and as approved by the Department of Environmental Protection. Blasting activities will occur Monday through Saturday from “sunrise to sunset.” No blasting shall be conducted on Sunday. Blasting is to commence on April 8, 2015 and continue through April 7, 2016. Ten minutes prior to and immediately after each blast, all access to the specific area will be safeguarded from unauthorized entry. The warning signal prior to each blast shall be from an air horn audible to at least one half mile from the blast. The warning will be given three (3) minutes prior to detonation and will consist of three (3) short blasts of five (5) seconds duration with five (5) seconds between each blast. The all-clear signal shall be one (1) long blast from an air horn of twenty (20) seconds duration. Blasting shall be conducted in such a way so as to prevent adverse impacts to the public or the environment. Blasting activities will not be conducted at times other than those announced in the blasting schedule except in the event of an emergency situation where rain, lightening, or other atmospheric conditions, or operator or public safety requires unscheduled detonations. 4-1-WED-1-RH; L 2772