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Description of the Environment <br />The Bowie No. 1 Mine is situated in the northeastern portion of Delta County, Colorado, and is <br />located approximately four (4) miles north of Paonia, Colorado, along the Steven's Gulch Road. <br />The astern extremities of the Bowie No. 1 Mine permit area are bounded closely by the East and <br />West Roatcap Creek drainage divide, and the northern boundary is located near the Morrell Cow <br />Camp area. The coal loadout facilities are located approximately one mile northeast ofPaonia <br />along State Highway No. 133. The general area of the mine is characterized by a semi -arid <br />environment of steeply sloping mountains. <br />Both the main mine portal facilities (East Mine) and the loadout were constructed in the 1970's, <br />prior to the passage of the Colorado Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act (the Act). The <br />West Mine facilities were built in late 1986 and early 1987 to provide an alternate access to the <br />coal being mined after a fire in the East Mine precluded access through the East Mine portals. <br />Land Use - Rules 2.04.3, 2.05.5, 4.16 <br />The discussion of land use is in Volume 1 of the permit application package (PAP) in Sections <br />2.04.3 and2.05.5. Aland use appendix is located in Volume 9, along with Map No. 9-1, "Land <br />Use Information Map." <br />The permit area can be divided into two general land use categories. The loadout is within an area <br />historically used as cropland or, more specifically, orchard land. Thepermitarea north ofHighway <br />133 is used as short term grazing and wildlife habitat. Grazing tends to be short term due to the <br />low productivity ofthe pinon juniper and oakbrush vegetation. Some recreational use, hunting and <br />hiking in particular, occurs within the mine area. T here are also a few summer homes, cow camps, <br />and even a restaurant that has been used intermittently. <br />The pre -mining land use classifications on the area are: (1) grazing land for domestic livestock <br />and wildlife, (2) orchard land in the area of the loadout facilities, and (3) previous mining <br />disturbances. After mining, BRL plans to return the land to the pre -mining land uses of grazing <br />for livestock and wildlife for the mine sites, and orchard land for the loadout facilities. <br />Cultural and Historic Resources - Rules 2.04.4, 2.05.6(4) <br />Cultural, historic, and archaeological studies have been conducted over the life of mine and <br />adjacent areas in April and May of 1977, August 1980, August 1981, July 1982, May and <br />September of 1984, and July 1986. Themethodology andresults of these surveys are set forth in <br />detail in the Archaeological Appendix in Volume 9B ofthe PAP. The State Historical Preservation <br />Officer reviewed the 1983 application/permit revision and the 1986 permit revision and has <br />determined that there are no sites within the permit area currently listed in the National Register <br />of Historic Places. <br />Surveys classified seven of these sites as eligible for the National Register pending further <br />investigation. None of the seven were disturbed by development activities, and none were <br />undermined. The Roatcap Game Trail Site (5DT 27 1) was excavated in late 1986 to ensure that <br />