Laserfiche WebLink
Fish and Wildlife <br />Numerous wildlife species inhabit the general area of the mine site and tie -across haul road. The <br />predominant big game species are elk and mule deer. Pronghorn antelope frequent the vicinity of <br />the tie -across haul road. Common raptors are golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, great horned owl, <br />marsh hawk and American kestrel. <br />Cultural and Historic Resources <br />The applicant conducted a number of site-specific literature searches and archeological surveys of <br />the permit area between 1979 and 1990. SP has completed archaeological surveys of all currently <br />permitted and proposed areas associated with the extension. During these cultural resource <br />inventories, 10 sites and 5 isolated finds were identified. Of these, only 2 were considered <br />significant: one rock art site with adjacent fire -rock and one potential large camp site. The camp <br />site has not been disturbed and appropriate mitigation measures were implemented for the rock <br />art/Ere-rock sites. <br />Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plans <br />The Seneca II -W Mine is a surface mine operation. The mine was a dip -slope, area strip mine <br />utilizing conventional dragline mining methods. In addition, auger mining has been employed in <br />certain locations. The mine area permit boundary includes three separate areas (North Block, South <br />Block, and South Extension) and associated facilities. The North and South blocks comprise the <br />"original mine permit area", while the South Extension was a permit area expansion approved <br />within PR -2. Mining was completed and coal extraction at Seneca II -W ceased in early January <br />2006. The final areas mined were the Wolf Creek and Sage Creek seams in the South Extension <br />Area; mining had been completed in the original permit area several years previously. <br />Within the original permit area, Mine Pits A, B, C, and D were oriented perpendicular to the crop <br />line. The coal in the mine pit area dipped approximately 18 to 25%. A single dragline operated <br />alternately within the north and south areas. The Wadge coal seam was mined in all four pits from <br />the crop line to approximately 100 feet in depth. Auger mining was conducted within certain final <br />Wadge pit locations in the original permit area. <br />Mining in the south extension area was approved in PR -2 and subsequently initiated. Development <br />of this area proceeded directly from the final cut in the A pit. Wadge Coal pit extraction and <br />progressive development was parallel to the crop line. Mining was constrained by the rapid <br />increase in overburden depth as mining progressed away from the crop line. The operation plan <br />is addressed in detail in Volume 7, Tab 12. <br />The most recent 5 -year permit term for the Seneca II -W permit was effective December 31, 2010. <br />The Sage Creek/Wolf Creek pit progressive development was for the most part perpendicular to <br />strike, and proceeded pit by pit from south to north within the South Extension Area. Dragline <br />operations within the South Extension Area alternated between the Wadge and Wolf Creek/Sage <br />Creek pit areas. Highwall miner operations were proposed within PR -4 for final Wadge Pit <br />xi <br />