2021-12-27_REVISION - C1981019 - Laserfiche WebLink

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KC111 1. History Colorado Zach Trujillo Environmental Protection Specialist Division of Reclamation,Mining, and Safety 1313 Sherman Street,Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 RE: Colowyo Coal Mine(Permit No. C-1981-019)Technical Revision No. 152 (TR-152),TR-152 South Taylor Highwall Mining(HC# 67752) Dear Mr. Trujillo, Thank you for your correspondence dated and received by our office on November 16,2021 regarding the review of the above referenced undertaking under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its implementing regulations 36 CFR Part 800. In accordance with the 1991 Memorandum of Understanding(MOU)between our agencies,because the technical revision may incorporate additional lands into the permit area or might otherwise alter previously approved permit conditions or mitigation measures,concurrence between our agencies is required due to the potential for impacts to cultural and/or historic resources. Your correspondence notes that the undertaking proposes additional high wall mining on the G7/8 seam in the South Taylor Pit. This has the potential to affect cultural resources through surface mining as well as the development of associated infrastructure,temporary use areas, and reclamation activities. In order to complete our review,we request additional information on the proposed development of the area for mining,temporary use areas (i.e. access roads and staging areas), and potential reclamation activities. Please provide additional descriptions,maps,designs, and images as necessary to provide us an understanding of the proposed undertaking and the area of potential effects (APE). An initial review of our records shows that cultural resource specialists have only previously,inventoried portions of the project location and that the areas that were inventoried were inventoried between 33 and 44 years ago. These inventories do not meet current standards and resources considered modern during the implementation of these inventories would be considered historic today. A review of orthoimagery shows that the majority of the project location remains relatively undisturbed. A review of studies in the region shows that the area contains the potential for previously unidentified cultural remains including archaeological remains that could sit on or below the ground surface. The project location may contain previously unidentified historic and prehistoric cultural remains. Expansion of mining in this area has the potential to affect these types of cultural resources. For the reasons stated previously,it is our recommendation that a cultural resource inventory be completed by a cultural resource specialist who meets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards prior to construction activities to determine the presence of cultural resources in the APE and to assess the eligibility of any resources for the National Register of Historic Places. The cultural resource specialist should also evaluate the undertaking's potential effects to historic properties. This level of effort is recommended in accordance with 36 CFR 800.4(b)(1). A list of qualified contractors that may provide the above services is available on our website: https://www.histolycolorado.ors4/sites/default/files/media/document/2021/1502%202.25.2l.docx.pdf. Upon completion of the appropriate identification efforts,our office should be provided with the results of the cultural