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Soils in the permit area are thin, and in places, non - existent. The exception is the valley bottoms, <br />where soils are moderately well developed. Clay loam, with a low infiltration rate, describes the <br />majority of soils in the area. <br />Vegetation in the permit area is dominated by an oak/pinion community. Most of the land in the <br />permit area, with the exception of the canyon bottoms and a few small grassland meadows, <br />would be rated poor for suitability as rangeland. <br />Numerous wildlife species occur through the permit and adjacent area. The permit area is <br />important year -round habitat for elk, deer, bear and turkeys. A variety of small mammals and <br />reptiles are also found in the permit area. Fish are generally limited to perennial sections of <br />streams and game fish are entirely limited to the Purgatoire River. Raptors utilize the permit and <br />adjacent area and 39 species of other birds were noted during bird surveys. <br />Climate in the area is semi -arid, with approximately 15 inches of precipitation annually. Forty- <br />four (44) percent of the total annual precipitation comes in the form of rainfall during the months <br />of May, July and August, and sixty -seven (67) percent occurs between May and October. Wind <br />speeds average slightly over 8 miles per hour on an annual basis and are out of the southwest one <br />third of the time. <br />Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plans <br />The following description of the operation plan remains in this Permit Renewal findings <br />document for reference only. Reclamation plan information is approved as part of this renewal. <br />The renewal of the permit (RN -03) is for reclamation only and consistent with the previous <br />renewals (RN -01 and RN -02). <br />Only surface mining was conducted at the Lorencito Canyon mine. The total anticipated <br />affected and disturbed area was approximately 1517 acres. Map 2.05.3 -1 of the permit <br />application depicts the mine plan and the life -of -mine plan. Underground coal reserves are <br />identified in the life -of -mine description. <br />Disturbance at the site began with haul road construction up to the Jeff Canyon surface mine, <br />modifying and upgrading the existing road as necessary. Sediment ponds were constructed in <br />side drainage valleys as necessary. A coal loadout area of about 5 acres was developed along the <br />Purgatoire River valley adjacent to the A & K rail line. At the time of Permit Renewal No. 1 <br />(RN -01), the rail line was removed for scrap and salvage. The original mine plan was <br />implemented for only about 9 months before operations were halted. Only surface mining in the <br />Jeff Canyon area was conducted during that time. Surface mining operations in the Jeff Canyon <br />area were conducted using mountaintop removal techniques. <br />VA <br />