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Prime Farmland Investigation <br />New Horizon Mine Area <br />1.0 Introduction <br />This section covers the investigation and determination of Prime Farmland on areas of the New <br />Horizon Mine. Soil surveys and studies are all contained in Section 2.04.9 - Soils Information. <br />2.0 Prime Farmland Investigation <br />All Prime Farmland determinations and designations on the New Horizon Mine have been <br />confirmed by the NRCS. <br />2.1 Prime Farmland Identification - Prior to 2008 <br />No prime farmland soils were identified at Peabody's Nucla Mine (now New Horizon Mine 1). <br />No Prime Farmland was identified east of 27.00 Road. <br />2.2 Prime Farmland Identification - Post 2008 <br />Prime Farmland was determined to be present on the Morgan Property and the WFC property <br />west of 27.00 Road. <br />2.3 Defmition of Terms <br />Prime Farmlands - Prime Farmland means land which has been determined to meet the definition <br />of Rule 1.04(95): <br />"Prime farmland" means land which has been historically used for cropland and that, in <br />accordance with 7 C.F.R. 657, as amended, has the best combination of physical and chemical <br />characteristics of producing food, feed, forage, fiber and oilseed crops, is also available for <br />these uses and as interpreted by the USDA Soil Conservation Service for Colorado. <br />Irrigated Cropland - This is a post -mine land use category (IC) which applies to lands that meet <br />the DRMS Cropland definition, of Rule 1.04(31): <br />"Cropland" means land used for the production of adapted crops for harvest, alone or in a <br />rotation with grasses and legumes, and includes row crops, small grain crops, hay crops, <br />nursery crops, orchard crops, and other similar specialty crops. <br />January 2016 (TR -70) 2.04.12-1 <br />