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L] <br />INTRODUCTION <br />Peabody Energy proposes to build a conveyer line between the Twentymile Coal Mine and <br />the Sage Creek Mine. Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, Inc. conducted a cultural resource <br />inventory for the proposed 7.2 mile long conveyer line. The southern end of the project area is in <br />Section 32, T5N R86W and proceeds generally north then northwest to Sec. 2 TSN, R87W, Routt <br />County, Colorado (Figures 1 & 2). The project area is situated on private land, but a cultural <br />resource survey is required by the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS) <br />as part of the mine permitting process. <br />A Class I files search was performed for the proposed conveyor line checking for previous <br />inventories and previously recorded sites. Following was a Class III survey on portions of the <br />project that did not fall within previous inventories or in areas that had been contoured and <br />re- vegetated following surface mining activities. The exception to this was when a previously <br />recorded site was reported to exist in these areas. Based on these results, 7220ft (2200m) in the <br />center of the line was omitted from the Class III study due to previous inventories, and two <br />additional sections, at each end of the line were omitted due to ground disturbance from <br />reclamation work. The first 9520ft (2900m) of the northern end falls within an area that has been <br />machined contoured and re- vegetated following the completion of surface mining activities <br />associated with the closed Senica Mine. At the southern end an additional 2300ft (700m) falls <br />within a similar area of activities associated with Twentymile Coal. Five previously recorded <br />sites exist within the north half of the project area, and these areas were included within the Class <br />III study. Also, where the line crosses Fish Creek, both sides of the creek (200 to 300m in length <br />depending on topography) were inventoried for cultural materials that may have eroded to the <br />surface following the past inventories. To access these areas, the portions of line that fall within <br />the previously inventoried areas were walked and given a cursory look on the way to the creek. <br />Approximately 19,380ft (63,320m) received Class III coverage to a total corridor width of <br />200ft (100ft each side of the staked centerline). This resulted in a total of 88.6 acres being Class <br />III inventoried for this project. <br />This cultural resource inventory was mandated by the National Historic Preservation Act <br />of 1966 because the project is associated with the Sage Creek Mine development and falls under <br />the mandates set forth by the DRMS. Fieldwork was conducted on June 7t" and 81" , 2011 by Sally <br />Metcalf with Melissa Elkins acting as Project Manager and Kim Kintz as Principal Investigator. <br />All work was completed under the stipulations of Colorado Cultural Resources permit <br />CO- 2011 -36 (expires 02- 29 -12) and DRMS. <br />The inventory resulted in the discovery and documentation of one new site and revisitation <br />of five previously recorded sites. Of the total six sites, four are prehistoric and two are historic. <br />All six have been recommended as "not eligible" or "non- contributing" for the National Register <br />of Historic Places (NRHP). Three isolated finds (all prehistoric) were also recorded as part of this <br />