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wildlife habitat include the upland sagebrush, pi nyon-juni per, and areas of riparian <br />vegetation associated with Tuttle Draw and several small tributaries. It is probable that <br />irrigation tailwater has created or significantly enhanced areas of riparian vegetation. <br />Historic and Existing Land Use on the Permit Area. The historic land use on the mine <br />permit area prior to 1958, when mining activities were begun by the Edna Coal Company, was <br />fairly well split between irrigated crop/hayland and native rangeland/wildlife habitat. <br />ey the time Peabody purchased the Navajo Mine in 1963, nearly all irrigated lands south of <br />the east west county road had been abandoned and approximately one quarter of the present <br />permit area was affected by mining activities. In May 1983, Surface Mine Permit No. <br />C-008-81 was approved for the Nucla Mine. At that time, approximately two-thirds of the <br />present permit area was affected by mining activities and all irrigated lands south of the <br />county bypass road and west of the north south county road had been abandoned. Existing <br />land use on the mine permit area is predominated by mining disturbances, mining related <br />activities, or reclamation (Exhibit 4-1 ). Native rangeland, abandoned cropland and <br />irrigated cropland comprise nearly all of the remaining lands in the permit area (Exhibit <br />4-1 ). Table 4-1 "Acreages by Land Use, Nucla Mine Permit Area" lists the various land <br />uses within the permit area and the corresponding acreages. A discussion of these various <br />• land uses follows. <br />Reclaimed Lands. This category includes all mined lands and mining related disturbances <br />which have been reclaimed within the Nucla Mine permit area. Included are lands reclaimed <br />both prior to and after May 3, 1978. <br />Mining Related Disturbances, Un reclaimed. Included in this category are all areas of <br />r- <br />disturbance within the permit area requiring final reclamation. Final reclamation <br />activities will vary from area to area but Hill include some or all of the following: <br />bac kfilling, grading, topsoiling and seeding. <br />Undisturbed Native Rangeland/Wildlife Habitat. These areas have not been affected by <br />mining or intensive agricultural activities. The mine control boundary and permit area <br />fences exclude livestock and thus wildlife are the only animals that make use of these <br />areas at this time. <br />• Sanitary Landfill. The sanitary landfill is operated by both San Miguel and Montrose <br />Counties and is located on lands which were mined in the late 1950's or early 1960's. <br />4-3 Revised 11/01/86 <br />