2016-10-20_PERMIT FILE - C1981035A (18)

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1.0 Introduction On October 17 and 18, 2016, Stratified Environmental & Archaeological Services, LLC (SEAS) completed a cultural resource inventory for GCC Energy's proposed groundwater monitoring wells situated on State of Colorado and private lands in southwestern La Plata County, Colorado. The cultural resource inventory of the four proposed wells was conducted at the request of Keith Fox of Ecosphere Environmental Services on behalf of GCC Energy. The project is located in and north of Hay Gulch and between Alkali Gulch and Schoolhouse Canyon about 14.5 miles west-southwest of Durango, Colorado. The proposed monitoring wells are located in Section 3, Township 34 North, Range 12 West, NMPM; Section 29, Township 35 North, Range 11 West, NMPM; and Sections 24 and 36, Township 35 North, Range 12 West, NMPM. Doug Loebig of SEAS completed the cultural resource inventory under State of Colorado Permit No. 2016-55. The inventory was completed to identify and record historic properties that might be affected by the proposed project and to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (P.L. 59-209) and other applicable federal regulations. The cultural resource inventory encountered and documented one newly recorded site (5LP 11050). 2.0 Project Description pad O It) GCC Energy, LLC proposes to drill and construct four groundwater monitoring wells (MW -2, MW-3, MW-4 and MW-HGA4 outside of its coal mining ermit area near Hay Gulch in western La Plata County, Colorado (Figures 2.1 to 2.3). Three of the proposed wells (MW -3, MW -4, and MW-HGA4) occur on private lands and one well (MW -2) occurs on State of Colorado lands. The wells occur in Township 35 North, Range 12 West, NMPM (MW -2); Section 3, Township 34 North, Range 12 West, NMPM (MW -3); Section 34, Township 35 North, Range 12 West, NMPM (1\4W-4); and Section 29, Township 35 North, Range 11 West, NMPM (MW-HGA4). The purpose of the project is to detect if mining activities are affecting water quality adjacent to GCC Energy's coal mining permit area. The construction area, or area of potential effect (APE), for each well is a 50 by 50 -foot area. A fifth location was also surveyed for the MW -4 proposed well as an archaeological site (SLP 11050) was found at the original MW -4 location. The APE is 0.23 acre for the four wells. The total area surveyed is 2.58 acres, which includes the four original proposed well locations, the alternative MW -4 well location, and 50 -foot buffer zones around the monitoring well pad perimeters. No new access or access improvements are required for the project as three wells are along existing two -track and gravel roads and one is in a previously plowed irrigated pasture. Rubber -tired vehicles will be used to access the well locations. Disturbance levels are expected to be high within the proposed monitoring well pads including grading, drilling, and construction of the well housing. The project is accessed from various roads off of La Plata County Road (CR) 120 (Hay Gulch Road). Project location information and other details are provided in Table 2.1. 3.0 Environmental Setting Elevation in the project area ranges from 7,410 feet (2,259 m) amsl at MW-HGA4 and MW -3 to 7,560 ft (2,304 m) at MW -2 to 7,700 feet (2,347 m) at MW -4. The project area is located in and north of Hay Gulch and between Alkali Gulch and Schoolhouse Canyon. The primary drainage for the area is in Hay Gulch, which collects in Mormon Reservoir and drains into the La Plata River about 5.25 miles south An Intensive CRI for GCC Energy's Proposed Groundwater Monitonng Wells on State and Pnvate Lands in La Plata County, CO SEAS 16-098 October2016 1