2014-10-31_PERMIT FILE - C1981044A (2)

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2.04 APPLICATION FOR PERMIT FOR SURFACE OR UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES: MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR INFORMATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES 2.04.1 OBJECTIVES This section of the permit provides in detail a complete and accurate description of the environmental resources that either have been or may be impacted or affected by the underground mining activities conducted by MCM and predecessor companies. 2.04.3 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: SITE DESCRIPTION AND LAND -USE INFORMATION The location and nature of pre - mining land uses within the Williams Fork Mines permit and adjacent areas are shown on the Pre - Mining Land Use Map (Map 3). Although portions of the permit and adjacent areas have been previously mined by both surface and underground coal mining techniques, the surface disturbance associated with these activities is minimal and the dominant land uses within the permit and adjacent area are rangeland/cropland and wildlife habitat. Scattered ranch houses and out - buildings exist in adjacent areas. Some homes and associated structures previously existed within the permit area to provide on -site housing for mine employees, however, all residences and associated structures were removed from the site in the 1970's. Predecessor operators had obtained a Special -Use Permit from Moffat County for the mining operations (copy found in Exhibit 2, Other Required Permits), however, County regulations have changed, and a Special -Use Permit is no longer required. Given historical mining activities, areas of "mined land" exist over much of the permit and adjacent areas. This land - use has not been included in land -use categories as defined under current state regulations. A summary of previous surface and underground mining operations is provided as Table 2, Past Mining Activity Information. One of the previously mined areas, the Wise Hill No. 3 underground mine (also called the Hart Mine) has been the focus of CDRMS — AML efforts over the past several years to address an underground mine fire. The Wise Hill No. 3 Mine was mined in the early 1970's (pre -law) and, on completion of mining in the area, was sealed and abandoned. Highway construction by CDOT in the early 1980's to realign a portion of State Highway 13, exposed an area of the previously sealed and abandoned underground workings. Although the exposed area was backfilled and graded, oxidation and spontaneous combustion of the exposed coal seam resulted in a slow - burning mine fire in the underground mine workings. Gradual combustion of the coal seam resulted in subsidence, and a number of surface cracks and vents opened, providing additional oxygen to the fire and increasing the burn rate. The CDRMS — AML Program recognized the problem, and over a period of several years, took specific steps to control and mitigate the effects of the fire, as well as attempt to contain and extinguish the fire. Specific control/mitigation measures included filling and sealing surface vents, removing potentially combustible vegetation and other materials over the burn area, constructing and operating a system of water -flood basins over the burn area, and most recently, conducting a focused geo- physical and drilling program to delineate and characterize the active burn area as the basis for development of a plan to contain and extinguish the underground fire. As a pre -law disturbance, MCM has no direct responsibility or liability for the Wise Hill Mine fire, but has cooperated fully with the CDRMS — AML Program in their ongoing control and remediation efforts. Additional information and details on the Wise Hill Mine fire are provided in Exhibit 43, Wise Hill No. 3 Mine Fire — AML Project. If the land -use has changed within the last five years; the previous land -use is shown in parenthesis. The United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service (now NRCS), conducted Class 11 soil surveys, vegetation surveys, and range evaluations in the vicinity of the Williams Fork property. The results of these range conditions evaluations are summarized by Table 1, Evaluation of Soil Conservation Service Range Data. In general, the areas evaluated are utilized primarily for ongoing livestock grazing operations and limited hay production. 2.04.4 CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL RESOURCE INFORMATION There are no known cultural or historical resources listed, or eligible for listing, on the National Register of Historic Places within the Williams Fork Mines permit boundary. This conclusion is based on communications with the Colorado Historical Society, Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation and on several archaeological surveys MR13 -50 2.04 -1 Revised 02/18/13