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Three special bird species are known to occur in the permit area; bald eagle, Columbian sharp - <br />tailed grouse, and greater sandhill crane. The bald eagle is listed as state threatened. Columbian <br />sharp -tailed grouse is a state species of special concern, and known to use the permit area. The <br />permit area encompasses nine lek sites, none of which are located in the PSCM surface <br />disturbance area. Short-term habitat loss could occur, but limited to areas of surface facilities. <br />Appropriate reclamation would likely restore this habitat, and the species is known to use <br />reclaimed mining areas. The greater sandhill crane is a state species of special concern and is <br />known to nest in the permit area. Nest sites were not located near surface disturbance areas and <br />loss of habitat is not expected. <br />The following special status species have potential to occur in the permit area based on habitat <br />requirements but do not have known occurrences: midget faded rattlesnake, northern leopard <br />frog, American peregrine falcon, ferruginous hawk, greater sage grouse, white-faced ibis, and <br />northern pocket gopher. Further habitat details are listed in Table 2.04.11-T6. <br />No federal threatened or endangered species were documented during the 2008 baseline surveys. <br />The USFWS has federally listed the following species as occurring within Routt County: the <br />Canadian lynx, the Colorado squawfish, razorback sucker, bonytail chub, and humpback chub. <br />There is federally designated critical habitat along the Yampa River for these four species of fish. <br />Description of the Operation and Reclamation <br />The PSCM has been in temporary cessation since January of 2017. Coal has been mined from <br />the Wadge coal using underground room and pillar methods. Pillars will not be removed. <br />Depending on favorable economics, a full-scale long wall mine would be approved in future <br />revisions. <br />Operations during the first five-year permit term of the PSCM involved construction of the portal <br />face -up area, construction of surface facilities, and the development of mains, submains, and four <br />sections of entries. Much of the portal face -up area and support structures were constructed in or <br />on backfilled spoil reclaimed under the Seneca II permit. Topsoil has been salvaged and <br />stockpiled onsite. Surface facilities include a variety of buildings, roads, and other structures for <br />supporting an underground mine operation. Surface drainage passes through ditches and <br />sediment control ponds before discharging to Little Grassy and Grassy Creeks. Mine water is <br />pumped from sumps in the portal area and discharged to pond 002. This water would be used as <br />dust control during times of operation. <br />Once the mine restarts operations, continuous miners will develop the workings, and conveyor <br />belts will transport coal and development waste rock to the surface. From the portal area, <br />conveyors on the surface will transport the coal and waste rock to a handling/stockpile area <br />where the material will be loaded into haul trucks. Coal will be transported to either off-site <br />customers or to the Foidel Creek Mine (C1982056) for beneficiation. Surface runoff from all <br />disturbed areas will be channeled to sediment control ponds, with the exception of the runoff <br />from small warehouse/shop area where alternative sediment control measures will be employed. <br />Under approved Technical Revision TR09, the hydrologic monitoring schedule has been reduced <br />9 <br />