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Coal Ridge No. 1 Mine C-1984-065: MT-08 April 2, 2019 <br /> <br />Page 6 of 27 <br /> <br />The vegetation within the vicinity of the mine is characterized as Piñon-sagebrush, mountain shrub, and, <br />in the lower regions, irrigated cropland. The area is used for limited grazing and wildlife habitat. <br /> <br />Wildlife <br /> <br />Wildlife that inhabit the area include large and small game animals and numerous birds and small <br />mammals. Big game species such as mule deer and elk as well as smaller mammals such as raccoons, <br />rabbits and coyotes are common to the mine site. Less common are black bear and mountain lion. <br />Waterfowl and game birds are abundant due to the proximity of riparian habitat near the Colorado River. <br />Red tailed hawks have been observed as have the Kestrel and the Cooper hawk. Bald eagles have been <br />seen adjacent to the site along the Colorado River, but no eagles have been reco rded as nesting in the <br />area. Five species of reptiles and twenty-seven species of fish have been reported in this area. Details <br />regarding baseline wildlife information are located in Section 3.7 of the PAP. <br /> <br />An endangered species assessment was made and the findings verified that the mine would not impact <br />any endangered species nor affect a potential habitat for the same. <br /> <br />Land Use <br /> <br />Current land use on and adjacent to the permit area includes grazing, cropland, developed water <br />resources, residential and previous mining activities. The land use classification of the mine site is <br />Agriculture/PUD (agricultural/residential/rural). <br /> <br />The approved post-mining land use is rangeland and wildlife habitat. <br /> <br />Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plan <br /> <br />Operation Plan <br /> <br />The Wheeler seam was to be mined by hydraulic methods [an exploration program and a hydraulic <br />mining test (in conjunction with the exploration program) preceded development]. Entries within the <br />coal seam were designed to move upslope so that gravity would have caused the slurry of coal and water <br />to flow from the mining section to the portal. Coal was to be transported by a water flume to a preparation <br />facility. The coal was then to be dewatered, and stored for shipment by rail to customers out of the Lacy <br />loadout facility. <br /> <br />Development operations commenced in October 1986. Topsoil was salvaged over 35 acres of the <br />disturbed area on the site (twenty-one inches of the Heldt silt clay and 16 inches of Nihil stony loam <br />were removed and were stockpiled on site). The stockpiles consisted of 59,682 cubic yards. Two <br />entranceway portals were driven by a roadheader approximately 500 feet into the hillside. Coal seams <br />were not reached, hydraulic mining never began, and coal was not produced. Development operations <br />were discontinued in March 1987. The decision was made in 1993 to reclaim the site, and reclamation <br />operations were initiated in 1994. <br />