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Three Geotechnical Drill Holes at Deer Creek Shaft Projec[ Plan Minor Revision 338 Page 5 of 9 MDW project area on pages 573 through 577. The EIS concluded that no threatened or endangered plants (pp.573-577) exist in the azea adjacent to the proposed drilling location. The Wildlife Section (pp. 577-582) includes description of the lands associated with the MDWs 19-09, 19-]0 and 19-11. The only threatened wildlife species is the bald eagle, which inhabits the North Fork Gunnison Valley during the winter months. Delisting of the bald eagle from the US threatened species list is currently proposed. This EIS also concludes that no Threatened or Endangered aquatic species (pp. 580-582) exist in the area. The proposed drill hole activity will avoid riparian habitats. Operations will not interfere with raptor nesting sites, and managed to minimize conflicts with the deer and elk on winter range and user conflict during big game hunting seasons. LAND USE The present land use of the proposed drill hole project area consists of mining, wildlife habitat, watershed, recreational lands, and big gazne hunting. No agricultural areas exist within the project azea. Coal mining has a long history in the North Fork Valley. Mountain Coal Company has operated the West Elk Mine as a viable mine since 1981 with an underground longwall in operation since 1992. Currently there aze three mines in the North Fork Valley; the Elk Creek Mine operated by Oxbow Mining, Inc.; the Bowie No. 1 and No. 2 Mines operated by Bowie Resources Limited; and the West Elk Mine. Other mines that have existed in the valley include Bear Mine Nos. 1, 2, and 3; Oliver Mine Nos. 1 and 2; Hawks Nest Mine; the Somerset Mine; and the Edwazds Mine. CULTURAL RESOURCES Previous Class III cultural inventories were conducted in the methane drainage project azea. The results of the surveys were negative and were submitted to the USFS. Cultural inventories have been conducted on the adjoining Ravens Gulch Exploration Area (COC- 60622; expired). The list of studies includes six Class III surveys and two Class II surveys (Metcalf Archeological Consultants, Inc., 1987, 1989, 1993, 7/94, 8/94, 11/94, 1996, 1997) and (Archeological Environmental Research Corp., 1990). The surveys were completed under the Federal Exploration License Numbers COC-51751, COC-5381, COC-53793, COC-58219, COC-60622, and those described in the 1996 revision of the West Elk Mine, CDMG Permit No.C-80-007. No cultural resources were identified in those investigations. Additional cultural resource reports titled, "Mountain Coal Company's West Elk Mine Gob Vent/De-gas Boreholes Class III Cultural Resource Inventory T13S, R90W, Sections 23, 26, 27, 34, and 35 Gunnison County, Colorado, June 2001", and "Mountain Coal Company, West Elk Mine, Block Cultural Resource Inventory (140 acres) for Five Drill Pad Locations and Access, T13S, R90W, Gunnison County, Colorado, August 2001", also showed negative results. Other previous cultural