2015-09-30_PERMIT FILE - C1982056A (3)

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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