Laserfiche WebLink
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 Plans <br /> The PSCM has been in temporary cessation since January of 2017. Coal has been mined from <br /> the Wadge coal seam using underground room and pillar methods. Pillars will not be removed. <br /> Depending on favorable economics, a full-scale longwall miner 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 active 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 /> to provide the basic ongoing information required by the DRMS and WQCD. Once the mine <br /> 8 <br />