Laserfiche WebLink
• after migrating from summer season range located in the adjacent high country. In the fall, the <br />quality of big game hunting and the natural beauty of the area draw a large number of in-state and <br />out-of-state hunters to the area, providing a sizeable boost to the local economy. Both in-permit <br />and out of permit lands of all classes support seasonal widlife populations. Predominant native <br />vegetation types and wildlife habitat include the upland sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, and areas of <br />riparian 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 <br />The original permit area consisted of lands north of Tuttle Draw mined by predecessor companies <br />from 1958 to 1983. This original area, as modified by reductions due to final bond releases, is now <br />known as NH1 portion of the current permit. In the early 1980's, one of the predecessor companies <br />(Peabody) permitted, but did not mine an area south of Tuttle Draw and west of the Town of Nucla. <br />This area, labeled Nucla East by Peabody, is now know as New Horizon 2 (NH2) by Western <br />Fuels. The historic land use on the principal (NH2) area has been mostly irrigated pasture and <br />native rangeland . Existing use forNH2 is irrigated fields (mostly irrigated pastureland), abandoned <br />irrigated fields, native rangeland, mining disturbances, mine-related activities, and reclamation. <br />• The much smaller NH1 area is the remaining parcel of land from pre-WFC mining that has not yet <br />been granted a full bond release. This mine permit area and surrounding released land, prior to <br />1958 when mining activities were begun by the Edna Coal Company, was fairly well split between <br />irrigated crop/hayland and native rangeland/wildlife habitat. By the time Peabody purchased the <br />Navajo Mine in 1963, nearly all irrigated lands south of the east-west county road had been <br />abandoned and approximately one quarter of the present permit area was affected by mining <br />activities. In May 1983, Surface Mine Permit No. C-008-81 was approved for the Nucla Mine <br />(Original NH1). At that time, approximately two-thirds of the original permit area was affected by <br />mining activities and all irrigated lands south of the county bypass road and west of the north-south <br />county road had been abandoned. The Nucla Mine (composed of the Nucla and Nucla East areas) <br />was purchased by WFC in 1992. The name was changed to the New Horizon Mine (with New <br />Horizon 1 and New Horizon 2 areas corresponding to the Nucla and Nucla East areas respectively). <br />Existing land use on the NH1 mine permit area is predominated by irrigated hayfield, native <br />rangeland and reclamation. Table 2.04.3-1 "Acreages by Land Use, New Horizon Mine Permit <br />Area" lists the various land uses within the permit area and the corresponding acreages. A <br />discussion of these various land uses follows. <br />Note: for the 2006 Mid Term Review, pre-mine land uses have been classified according to the <br />• listings in Rule 1.04 and a new map has been added to show these uses. This map is Map <br />(Revised 28Ju1y06) 2.04.3-5 <br />