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The dominant vegetation in the King I and II Mine area is a mountain shrub community. <br />Gambel Oak is the most prominent shrub along the side slopes, forming dense stands. On the <br />plateau top above the King I Mine, the oak grows in clumps with open stands of grasses <br />interspersed. A juniper pinon community is found on the more xeric southern slopes, with <br />scattered individuals of Douglas Fir and Ponderosa Pine encountered on more mesic northern <br />slopes. A pinon juniper woodland community predominates in the King II Mine area, extending <br />from the edge of the flat colluvial bottoms up the side slopes of the dissected drainage basins. A <br />rabbitbrush / big sage mixed shrubland community is also located in the King II Mine area on the <br />relatively flat colluvial bottom that is present between the drainage basin side slopes. The valley <br />bottom of Hay Gulch is occupied by introduced pasture. <br />Fish and Wildlife (4.11) <br />A variety of wildlife species utilize the permit area and surrounding areas. Colorado Parks and <br />Wildlife has identified the general area of the mine site as critical deer winter range. Wildlife <br />use is expected to increase upon completion of successful reclamation. <br />No candidate or federally listed plant or animal species were identified within or adjacent to the <br />permit area. <br />Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plans <br />Underground room and pillar operations were historically used at the King I Mine and continue <br />to be employed at King II. The coal is mined using two continuous miners. After coal is <br />removed from the working face, shuttle cars are utilized to transfer the coal to conveyors, which <br />in turn transport the coal to the surface. Surface operations incidental to the underground mining <br />operation consist of crushing, stockpiling and loading coal. There are no coal washing facilities <br />at the King Coal Mine. Coal mine waste is loaded into 10 -wheel dump trucks and hauled to the <br />King I surface facilities to be incorporated into the permitted refuse pile. <br />Four different coal products are stockpiled periodically on the surface: lump, stoker, railroad, <br />and mine run. Crushing the coal generates fines that are combined with the mine run coal and <br />sold. Maximum annual production for the King Coal Mine was increased to 1,300,000 tons of <br />coal in 2014; the life of the mine is currently projected to be between four and seven years <br />(production ending between 2021 and 2024). Coal is shipped from the site by trucks, which <br />travel county roads to access State (both Colorado and New Mexico) and U.S. highway systems. <br />Surface facilities at King II are depicted on permit Map King II -007 and include: office building <br />and bath house, shop, truck scale and house, two stack tubes, coal storage areas, mine ventilation <br />intake fan, water storage tanks, an electrical substation, and a sediment pond. Topsoil was <br />salvaged as required, and is being stored in two stockpiles (as with other facilities, locations are <br />on Map King II -007). A haul road connects the surface facilities to County Road 120. <br />Mining activities at the King I Mine were terminated, and the portals were sealed in January <br />2009. "Plant growth medium" piles were built at two locations as shown on Map King I-007. <br />The Division has previously approved the road and certain buildings as permanent structures, per <br />X <br />