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<br />TR-76 Page 2.04-1 (Revised 8/12/2022) <br />SECTION 2.04 APPLICATIONS FOR PERMIT FOR SURFACE <br />OR UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES <br />2.04.1 Objectives <br />Following is a description of the environment resources at and around the New <br />Elk mining operation. A description of the environment resources for the Jansen <br />Loadout can be found in Exhibit 40. <br />2.04.2 Responsibilities <br />NECC is providing information required under this section to illustrate and describe <br />the environment resources that may be affected by the New Elk mining operation. <br />2.04.3 General Requirements: Site Description and Land Use Information <br />(1)-(4) The primary land use of the disturbed area prior to the development of the New <br />Elk Mine was probably rangeland. The New Elk Mine has been in operation since the <br />early 1950’s, and past disturbance, as well as lack of records, makes it more difficult <br />to determine actual pre-mining land uses. Land use identified within the permit area <br />consists of pastureland, rangeland, and fish and wildlife habitat. The location of these <br />lands is shown on Map 4, Pre-mine Land Use, as described and mapped by the Las <br />Animas County Planning and Land Use Office. These land use descriptions have been <br />updated to reflect Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS) <br />definitions. The current approved permit area for the New Elk Mine is 4,202.3 acres <br />with the approval of TR72, and TR76 seeks to increase the permit area by 11.7 acres for <br />a total permit area of 4,213.6 acres as shown on Map 1. Since these values change with <br />approval of each new revision to the mining permit application, acreage values are more <br />accurately reflected at any point in the future from approved decision documents available <br />online at https://drms.colorado.gov/ . Generally, lands north of Highway 12 to be disturbed <br />are categorized as wildlife use and lands in the main facility area and Apache Canyon are <br />rangeland use. Exceptions south of Highway 12 are the riparian wildlife use along the <br />Purgatoire River and the upland wildlife use along the water tank road and pad area. Ten <br />acres of the approved disturbed area are industrial and located at the Jansen rail loadout area <br />on the west side of the town of Trinidad. The loadout area pre-mine land use was industrial. <br />Table 4 <br />Approximate acreage of land uses to be affected or disturbed <br />Land Use Disturbed Acres Permit Acres <br />Wildlife 66 750 <br />Rangeland 161.8 3,452.2 <br />Pastureland 0 5 <br />Industrial 6.4 6.4 <br />Total of all Land Use 234.2 4,213.6 <br />