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State Highway No. 133. The general area of the mine is characterized by a semi-arid environment <br /> 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 I and Volume 7 of the PAP in Sections 2.04.3 and 2.05.5. <br /> Volume 7 also includes a land use map for the loadout. A land use appendix is located in Volume <br /> 9, along with Map No. 9-1, "Land 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. The permit area north of Highway <br /> 133 is used as short term grazing and wildlife habitat. Grazing tends to be short term due to the <br /> low productivity of the pinon-juniper and oakbrush vegetation. Some recreational use,hunting and <br /> hiking in particular, occurs within the mine area. There 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 were conducted over the life of mine and adjacent <br /> areas in April and May of 1977, August 1980, August 1981, July 1982, May and September of <br /> 1984, and July 1986. The methodology and results of these surveys are set forth in detail in the <br /> Archaeological Appendix in Volume 9B of the PAP. The State Historical Preservation Officer <br /> reviewed the 1983 application/permit revision and the 1986 permit revision and has determined <br /> that there are no sites within the permit area currently listed in the National Register of Historic <br /> Places. <br /> Surveys classified seven sites as eligible for the National Register pending further investigation. <br /> None of the seven were disturbed by development activities, and none were undermined. The <br /> Roatcap Game Trail Site was excavated in 1986 to ensure that increased access in the East Roatcap <br /> drainage would not result in vandalism. Several of the other sites have a very limited potential for <br /> subsidence damage, as they are found on the margins of the angle of draw. <br /> 5 <br />