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area of the "Cameo operation" {Roadside North Portal) because of the <br />power plant, the railroad, the Interstate highway and the Roadside Mine <br />{Roadside South Portal). Primarily due to the transportation access, <br />interest in the industrial use of the area may increase in the future. <br />(b) (i) The primary historic use of the area currently disturbed for surtace <br />operations was Fish and Wildlife habitat. The low precipitation <br />and poor soil conditions limited the vegetative cover, thereby <br />limiting its use for wildlife. The proximity of the highway, railroad <br />and power plant may have also discouraged the used of the area <br />by wildlife. Portions of the Unit Train Loadout area were farmed <br />and irrigated. This was made possible due to it being river bottom <br />land with water readily available for irrigation. Portions of the <br />Cameo Borrow Area No.1 and the Powder and Cap Magazine <br />areas were used for facilities associated with the former town of <br />• Cameo and the former Cameo Mine. <br />(ii) Typical productivity for the local soils groups are given in Appendix <br />9-6, Tab Section 9. These numbers are typical of the premining <br />rangeland productivity. <br />(3) Mining in the permit area began in 1899 when the Cameo Mine opened. <br />It operated continuously until 1969. Old mine maps indicate that room <br />and pillar mining techniques were used to produce some 4,216,000 tons <br />of coal from the Cameo B Seam. Approximately 40 acres in the NWi/4 <br />of Section 34, T10S, R98W, of the 6th PM were disturbed. <br />The Roadside South Portal was opened in the early 1900's as the PV <br />Mine. It operated intermittently until 1972 under various owners and <br />• 4-2 (Rev. 12/16/96) <br />