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Lease stipulations will mitigate impacts due to creation of roads and pads within the area, winter <br />access, and vegetative changes. The stipulations are shown in section III of the BA (Project File) <br />and their application to specific Forest Plan objectives and guidelines for human uses project such <br />as the proposed action are indicated in Appendix 1 of the BA (Project File)." Final Environmental <br />Impact Statement, Federal Coal Lease Modifications COC -1362 and COC -67232, pages 125-131, <br />August 2012. <br />The proposed exploration would typically occur in the late spring through early fall months, but <br />may occur during the winter if ground conditions allow and with FS approval. Riparian habitats <br />will be avoided to the extent possible. <br />T .nnd T TcP <br />The prevailing land use of the acreage contained in this application is wildlife habitat. Surface <br />topography is rugged. Limited camping, hunting, and cattle grazing occur in the proposed <br />exploration area. There are no highways or critical structures in this area. Remnant roads, <br />originally constructed for stock pond construction and access, occur in the area. User created ATV <br />trails also exist. <br />Coal mining has a long history in the North Fork Valley. Mountain Coal Company, LLC has an <br />underground longwall operation north of the proposed exploration area which has been a viable <br />mine since 1981, and is currently the only operating mine. The two other mines in the North Fork <br />Valley, including the Elk Creek Mine that was operated by Oxbow Mining, LLC, and the Bowie <br />No. 3 Mine that was operated by Bowie Resources, LLC, are closed and in various levels of <br />reclamation. Other mines that have existed in the valley include Bear Mine Nos. 1, 2, and 3; Oliver <br />Mine Nos. 1, 2, and 3; Hawks Nest Mine, Orchard Valley Mine, Sanborn Creek Mine, the Somerset <br />Mine, and the Edwards Mine. <br />Cultural Resources <br />Cultural resource inventories were conducted on the Sunset Trail Exploration Area in 2011 and <br />again in 2012. This survey was conducted by ERO Resources as an Archeological Class II surveys <br />and Class III entitled Cultural Resource Inventory, Mountain Coal Company's Lease <br />Modifications -Sunset Trail Project Area, Gunnison County, Colorado. No cultural resources were <br />identified in those investigations. The reports are included as Attachment 2. <br />Proposed Access Routes <br />There are three primary access routes to the exploration area. AL will utilize Highway 133 to the <br />West Elk Mine entrance and the private and FS administrative road through Sylvester Gulch to FS <br />Road 711 as the main access route. A 0.4 mile length of FS Road 711 will be utilized to access <br />other FS administrative roads to the exploration area. <br />Access to the exploration sites will also utilize existing FS Road 710 to the South Prong area. <br />Access is controlled by gates on MCC's fee surface to the exploration area. Additionally a third <br />access may be used via FS 711 and the spurs 711-2C to the proposed sites and 711-2A to Lions <br />Mesa. Roads are shown on the attached map. <br />FS 711 has been maintained by MCC as an access road to exploration drill holes and MVB sites <br />over the previous 20+ years. Upgrades and improvements to the road include gravel, culverts, <br />ditches, gates, and drainage control structures. Ongoing maintenance is a stipulation to MCC's <br />0 <br />