2023-11-01_PERMIT FILE - C1980007 ‎(3)‎

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 11/1/2023
• Doc Name: Archaeologic Survey
• Section_Exhibit Name: Exhibit 10H Panels 10-12
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

CONTAINS PRIVILEGED INFORMATION-DO NOT DISTRIBUTE
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MANAGEMENT SUMMARY
Mountain Coal Co., LLC is proposing to mine three subsurface longwall panels (Panels 10–12) at the West Elk Mine in Gunnison County, Colorado. The proposed work does not include any direct surface disturbances, but there is some potential for surface subsidence related to the proposed panel mining. Because the project is federally authorized and extends across lands managed by the United States Forest Service-Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison National Forest (USFS-GMUG NFs) and the Bureau of Land Management-Uncompahgre Field Office (BLM-UFO), various cultural resource laws apply. To meet these historic preservation law requirements, Mountain Coal retained Alpine Archaeological Consultants, Inc. (Alpine) to conduct a literature review and an intensive pedestrian cultural resource inventory (15 meter transect spacing) of the project’s Area of Potential Effect and survey area in advance of the project. Alpine’s inventory examined 602 acres of land, including 431 acres of lands managed by the USFS-GMUG NFs, 170 acres of private land, and 2 acres of lands managed by the BLM-UFO. Two historical well pads (sites 5GN6815 and 5GN6816) were documented during the survey; both are recommended as not eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Alpine does not advise any additional cultural resource work for the project and recommends a finding of "No Historic Properties Affected.". No artifacts were collected during the survey.