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("~ ~': Resource Management designation le Claee IV, which allows dominant • modifications of moderate contrast but moat incorporate visual elements of the characteristic landscape. D. Traaaaortatioa The application area is accessed by Colorado State Highway 133. Coal will be moved approximately one mile from the portal (on fee lands) by conveyor belt to the loadout tipple on fee lands. The loadout facility is served by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. This spur ie used solely for coal haulage. The line ends just past Somerset at the West Elk Nine and connects loadout facilities of several coal mines along the route. Currently four 100-car train loads of coal use the tracks between Somerset and Grand Junction and return every week. The trains haul coal from the Bear Hine, Weet Elk Nine, Orchard Valley Mine and the Sanborn Creek Hine. Coal care are aided at loadout facilities until they are filled with coal. Coal ie presently hauled by trucks from the Bear Mine to the Terror Creek Loadout facility approximately six miles east of the tract and across the State Highway to the loadout tipple at the Sanborn Creek mine. There is an average of one round truck trip every 20 minutes per eight-hour day to the Terror Creek Loadout facility and an average of 6 to 10 trucks per hour per 8-hour day crossing the highway to the loadout tipple at the Sanborn Creek mine. E. Climate and Air Quality The climate can be described ae having moderate summer and cold winter temperatures and receiving a moderate amount of precipitation. Maximum summer temperatures generally do not exceed 90° F; winter low temperatures are frequently lees than 15° F. Annual precipitation is • variable ranging from 7 to 25 inches. West winds predominate, however, there is a noticeable diurnal wind pattern of upslope during the day and downslope at night. Air quality in the vicinity of the application lands ie typical of undeveloped regions in the weatern~j/nited States; ambient pollutant levels are usually near or below the•meaeurable limits. Notable exceptions in the Delta County area include high, short-term concentrations of total suspended particulates related to local winds, ozone, non-methane hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, especially in communities. Average visibility ie about 54 miles with greatest visibility occurring during spring and summer months. This portion of the North Fork of the Gunnison River has been designated as a Claee II area. There are no major stationary sources of air pollution in the immediate vicinity, nor is the train and vehicular traffic along the North Fork of the Gunnison River of a magnitude so as to constitute a significant source of air pollution. There ie coal duet generated from adjacent existing mines. F. Wildlife The review area supports a variety of wildlife species. Mule deer and elk winter on the area, and some of the area ie considered crucial winter range for elk. The intensity of winter use varies widely from year to year and is controlled primarily by the variation in timing and amount of snowfall. Golden eagles vee the review area as hunting habitat. Also, the potential exists for nesting to occur. BLM inventories conducted from . 1978 to 1980 and monitoring flights through 1985 did not locate any neat or roost sites. No neat sites are known to be present at this time.