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6;c1 <br />"; <br />``> REPORT <br />u. ___ . ~ ___ _ _._- _ a - -~~ ~_~ _ _ ~____.__ ___ _._.__._.. .. __ __..~ <br />r,.; <br />,_~; <br />~~_?~ INTRODUCTION <br />r,„ The Mountain Coal Company (MCC) operates the West Elk Mine under a permit (No. C-80- <br />"" 007) issued by the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG). The location of the <br />mine is in Gunnison County approximately two miles east of Somerset, Colorado off of <br />Colorado State Highway 133. <br />l~<~ <br />Under the MCC's ongoing exploratory drilling program, wells are drilled within the mine permit <br />boundary in order to assess new coal resources within the mine area. In compliance with the <br />Endangered Species Act of 1972 as amended, a clearance survey for all federally-listed <br />threatened and endangered wildlife and plant species is required before drilling can begin. In <br />~~~ addition, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) requires a clearance survey for all USFS sensitive <br />"~` species to be completed before drilling can begin. The threatened, endangered, and USFS <br />sensitive (TES) species of concern potentially occurring in proximity of the West Elk mine are <br />g^',; listed in Appendix A. A survey is also required to identify any fragile or particularly sensitive <br />~ areas of concern. These areas might include wetlands, riparian areas, and unusual topographic <br />features. <br />A preliminary field investigation of 21 proposed drill pad sites- within panels 16, 17 and 17S was <br />,:;;; conducted on September 18-19, 2001 to assess potential impacts to TES species. This report <br />c,,r,, <br />describes the methodology and results of the field investigation. <br />a SITE LOCATION <br />~`:~ <br />j West Elk Mine is located in Gunnison County approximately two miles east of Somerset, <br />Colorado. Panels 16, 17 and 17S aze located in Township 13 south, Range 90 west, Section 26 <br />" (S1/2), Section 27 (SI/2), Section 34 (N17S/4), Section 35 (Nl/2) (Figure 1). <br />The proposed project consists of 21 drill pad locations and access roads for possible "de-gas" <br />vent holes for underground mine panels 16, 17, and 17S of the West Elk Mine. This survey area <br />contains proposed locations and access corridors for drill pads 16-06, 16-07, 16-08, 17-01 <br />through 17-09, and 17S-Ol through 175-09. Locations for drill pads 15-O1, 15-02, 15-03, 16-01 <br />e" and 16-04 are within the southern part of a previously surveyed block along a tributary of Deep <br />Creek in Section 26 (Greystone 2001). <br />~','{;7 <br /> <br />TEDnllSimsurvey-RPr(2] 0)REV I/December 3, 2001 <br />f;'>~ 1 <br />~r%; <br />