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The Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek and the North Fork of the Gunnison River are the principal drainage systems in the area, flowing east to west north of the exploration area. Minnesota Creek joins the North Fork of the Gnnmcnn River at the town of Paonia. The Rollins Sandstone Member is located beneath the Lower Coal Member of the Mesa Verde Fomraation The Rollins Sandstone, a massive marine sandstone, has been identified in literature as a potential regional aquifer. Recent monitoring well data and aualytica[ data, however, indicates a low potential for aquifer characteristics in the exploration area. Localized perched ground water aquifers occur within the sandstone lenses of the Lipper Coal Member and the Barren Member of the Mesa Verde Formation. Recent water inflows encountered at the West Elk Mine, operated by Mountain Coal Company, indicate that significant amounts of non-tributary water can be held within and transported through fault zones in the Mesa Verde Group including tfie Rollins Sandstone. Faults intercepted during mining of the B-Seam at the West Elk Mine have encountered substantial inflows and in all instances the flows have quickly diminished and stabilized to a minimal amount. Vegetation Montane meadow, aspen, mountain shrub, and coniferous forest habitat types with drainage's containing riparian corridors characterize vegetation in the exploration area. Of these habitat types, aspen is the most abundant, followed by coniferous forest, montane meadow, mountain shrub, and riparian respectively. Various grasses and other mountain shrubs occur sporadically throughout the exploration area. No threatened, endangered, or candidate plant species have been identified in the exploration areas. Soils Soils in the exploration area are mainly derived from the Mesa Verde and Wasatch Formations and have relatively high clay content. By limiting the size of drill sites and retaining topsoil for reclamation purposes, revegetation should not be a problem in this area. The revegetation of previous drill sites has been very successful within this and adjacent exploration areas. Wildlife The exploration area is an important range for deer, elk, and bear. Other animals in the exploration area include coyote, rabbit, porcupine, beaver, squirrel, mice and other rodents. The proposed exploration program will be scheduled to avoid conflicts with the deer and elk on winter range and user conflict during big game hunting season. Operations will be located such as to not interfere with raptor nesting sites, including golden and bald eagle, and Peregrine falcon. Please refer to the attachments >lrldlife Habitat Evaluations and Inventory for T&E, Sensitive and Management Indicator Species reports prepared for Dry Fork and Lions Mesa exploration activities by Michael Ward and Monarch and Assoc. in 2005 and 2006. The reports are attached a