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• 1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />The Mountain Ccal Company (MCC) is proposing to install an additional ventilation Fan at ii:: !~!est <br />Elk Mine in Somerset, Colorado. As part of the assessment of potential noise impacts from this projr~.t, <br />a background noise survey was conducted on April 27 and 28, 1994. This report describes the li~ujF;rt <br />study area, location of Heise-sensitive receptors, and the survey methods and results. <br />2.0 PROJECT LOCATION AND ENVIRONS <br />The Wzst Elk Mine is located in the valley of the North Fork of thz Gunnison River in Gunnison <br />County, Colorado. Within the project area, the river flows generally east to west. Colorado :;t:'•r, <br />Highway 133 (SH-133) runs the length of the valley, 2lternaling from the north to the south side ~,' I~, <br />river. An active railroad runs along the north side of the river. The town of Som%rszt is locai~o <br />approximately 1 mile west of the mine's surrace operations, and the town of Paonia is 9 miles furiir <br />- west on SH-133. The proooszd fan site is located in t_onz Pine Gulch, which joins the Gunnison {:~~ . <br />from the south about 1 mile wee, of Somerset. As shown in Figure i, the fan sits is about 2,`;rft~ i~: l <br />• south of the river. <br />- . The topcgraphy of the project area is dominated by the valley of the North Fork. The valley uo;" <br />'~ - has an approximate elevation of 5,900 feet a'oove sza level. T'ne south side nszs relal'rvely ~e:nup <br />percent gradz), with a visible elevation gain of about 1000 feet. The north side of thz valley i; ~~~ ~.. <br />steep (100 percent grade), with a visible elevation gain of about 800 feet. The fan is at an elev. iivr, u. <br />approximately 6,500 feet, which is 600 feet above the valley Floor. The valley is approximately 1 mile <br />.. wide from the fan site to the visible summit of the north valley wall. <br />Most of the south side of the valley is covered with oak scrub, which was budding at the time of <br />this survey. The north side of the valley is also covered with scrub, except for a number of steep, <br />exposed rock faces. The Gunnison River is thinly lined with trees, which were also budding at the ±i^;c <br />of the survey. <br />L~ <br />1 <br />