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Cultural Resources Multiple cultural resource inventories have been conducted on the Ravens Gulch Exploration Area (COC-60622). The list of studies includes six Class III surveys and two Class II surveys (Metcalf Archeological Consultants, Inc., 1987, 1489, 1993, 7/94, 8/94, 11/94, 1996, 1997); (Archeological Environmental Research Corp., 1990). The surveys were completed under the Federal Exploration License nos. COC-51751, COC-5381, COCO-53793, COC-58219, COC- 60622, and those described in the 1996 revision of the Mountain Coal Company permit #C-80. 007. Alo cultural resources were identified in those investigations. A Class III Cultural Resource Inventory was conducted on the pad and drill hole locations and access road for the Deer Creek exploration area (Arcadis/Greystone 2005). A copy of the report is attached. Alo cultural resources were identified in this investigation Proposed Access Routes The Deer Creek Exploration Area is accessed by the existing Gimnicnn County Road 710 to the USFS classified system Road 711 which follows the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek drainage. This road is also known as the Hammond Trail or Dry Fork Road. In the project area the road follows the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek in a northwest to southeast direction before crossing the Deer Creek road to the south. USFS 711 has been maintained by MCC as an access mad to exploration drill hole and MDW sites over the previous decades. Upgrades and improvements to the road include gravel, culverts, ditches, gates, and drainage control structures. Eluting 2002 the approximately four miles between the USFS boundary below Minnesota Reservoir and the Deep Creek crossing was bladed, spot graveled, and upgraded with culverts and sediment control devices to facilitate access to the 17-O1 MDW location north of the Deep Creek crossing. MCC holds a current Road Use Permit for the 9.5 miles of road from the lower corrals on Minnesota Creek to the Deep Creek Crossing. MCC has applied for a Special Use Road Permit from the Forest Service for tan additiona15.5 miles of FS roads that are used within adjacent drilling Projects. Narrative of the Project: MCC intends to construct a small light-use road from FS 711 approximately 700 ft long and approximately 16 ft wide and construct a 1.0 acre pad to accommodate geotechnical and exploration drilling and drill two pilot holes. The total disturbed area is planned to be less than 1.7 acres. The road will be constructed west of Deer Creek and south of the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek. 6