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Criterion No. 21 -- State Proposed Criteria • Analysis: The state of Colorado has not proposed criterion by ~rhich lands nay be designated unsuitable for surface coal mining operations. Criterion No. 22 -- Prime Farm Lands Anal}~sis: The h'estern Slope Carbon,' Inc., short-term coal lease application area does include one soil, Greece loa:~ on 1 to 6 percent slopes, which hzs been identified as prime farmland by the "Important Farmlands flapping Project" being conducted by Colorado State University. however, the site r+here this soil occurs has been used for the production of cultivated crops for less than 5 years out cf 20 years preceding the date of the per^it application. Thus, it dc~s not qualify as prime farmland as determined by 42(CFR): 715.7. Criterion No. 23 -- Alluvial Valley Floors Analysis: The southern portion of these federal lands is a part of the alluvial valley floor created by the ~iorth Forl; • of the Gunnison River. However, tf;e only surface disturbance that could result to the alluvia. valley floor would occur with the construction cf the intake ventilation shaft proposed by Western Slope. The ventilation shaft and access road tirould disturb a total 1.5 acres of the surface of the alluvial valley and at least soca portion of the . underlying alluvial material. However, it is unlikely tha_ this disturbance would not preclude, discontinue, or interrupt Earring in the area or that any of the essential hydrologic functions of the alluvial valley floor irould be impaired. Criterion No. 24 -- Reclaimability Analysis: It is felt that revegetation of disturbed sites resulting from the proposed action will be possible, based on the fact that successful revegetation of similar sites has occurred in the area (at the Westmoreland Orchard Valley Mine, discussed in the West-Central Coal ES, AR-3). •