2015-08-18_PERMIT FILE - C1982056A ‎(4)‎

• Permit No: C1982056A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 8/18/2015
• Section_Exhibit Name: 2.04 Environmental Resources
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

The most viable enhancement of land use on the area prior to mining (from an economic standpoint) would be
conversion from brush to grassland of some minor acreage of pastureland. Conversion of pastureland to cropland
would also be feasible on a small portion of the area. Such changes are unlikely since current trends on lands adjacent
to the proposed permit area are for cropland to revert to pastureland. This is in keeping with the proposed change to
pastureland as the designated postmining land use.
Based on Routt County Cropland Statistics, premining productivity within the proposed permit area for hay
production would likely approximate the 1.6 tons per acre average. Wheat production within and near Twentymile
Park averages 21.0 bushels per acre. Pastureland, as a land use unit, has a weighted average of 2,680 pounds per acre
of oven dried forage while the rangeland land use area produces 1,542 pounds per acre. Therefore, animal carrying
capacity averages 1.32 AUMs per acre with a range of 0.67 AUMs per acre for sagebrush range to 2.18 AUMs per
acre for reclaimed pasture. Cropland productivities are presented in Table 1, Routt County Recent Historical
Cropland Statistics, and Table 2, Typical Grain Crop Production Within and Near Twentymile Park.
Condition Class of the Proposed Permit Area
Field evaluation of the proposed permit area by the Applicant's range scientists and range consultants revealed that the
premining condition of the plant communities for livestock and wildlife would be rated as fair to good. Current
condition ratings of fair are restricted to the sagebrush/meadow vegetation type along the Fish Creek Floodplain.
Livestock tend to concentrate in this area resulting in slight range deterioration as evidenced by the increasing
populations of Canada thistle. Remaining native communities within the proposed permit area are in the "good"
condition class.
Hydrologic Capability
See response to Rule 2.04.7 below.
Previous Mining
Three sites within the proposed permit area were mined under the names of Energy Mine No. 1, Energy Mine No. 2,
and Energy Mine No. 3. Table 6, Coal Mine Data Within Proposed Permit Area, describes the portions of these mines
that are within the proposed permit area.
Routt County Land Use Classification
The Routt County Commissioners in conjunction with the Routt County Planning Commission have designated the
land within the proposed permit and adjacent areas to be zoned for agriculture, forestry, and mining. All special use
permits required for TCC to conduct the activities proposed in this application have been submitted or were approved
for transfer from Energy Fuels Corporation to the Applicant on March 22, 1983 and April 5, 1983 by the Routt
County Board of Commissioners. The Routt County Commissioners also approved a Special Use Permit for mining
on August 28, 1984.
Southwest Mining District
Twentymile Coal Company expanded its mining operation into the southwest district during the period of June 1996
through March 1996. The expansion allowed mining of federal coal. The lease for the coal contained in this panel
was issued by the BLM on January 1, 1994 (refer to lease COC- 53560).
The surface overlying the proposed underground mine workings has a varied usage pattern. The uses within the mine
area are as follows: cropland, rangeland, oil and gas development, homesite, county road and disturbed area. Each of
the various uses will be described below. The various uses are shown on Map 3, Premining Land Use.
APPROVED APR 2 4 2000
Permit Renewal No. 3 2.04 -6 4/1199