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III. Observations and Findings of the Division Description of the Environment General Area The Lorencito Canyon mine is situated near the center of the Raton Basin, southeast of the town of Weston, Colorado. The County Map Topographic Series, Las Animas County, Colorado, sheet 4 of 7, published by the United States Geological Survey, depicts the greater mine area. Lands in this azea aze a small part of the larger Park Plateau, a portion of the Great Plains physiographic province, consisting of dissected highlands that separate the High Plains to the east from the Rocky Mountains to the west. Permit Area The Lorencito Canyon mine is situated on 3142 acres of private land southeast of the town of Weston, Colorado. The 7.5-minute series topographic map of the Little Pine Canyon Quadrangle depicts the majority of the permit azea. Elevations within the permit area range from 6600 feet above mean sea level in the northeast part of the permit area to 7350 feet in portions of the southern permit area. Steep slopes and rugged canyons generally describe the topography of the permit area. With the exception of relatively, narrow, flat canyon floors of Lorencito and Cow Canyons, most of the permit area is dissected by V-shaped side drainages to the main canyons. Steep, rocky outcrops rim these drainages, and narrow, sharp ridges divide watersheds. Four main canyons aze situated within the permit boundary. Cow Canyon bounds the permit area on the west. Lorencito Canyon and Little Jeff Canyon are located in the eastern portion of the permit azea. Jeff Canyon runs west to east through the center of the permit azea and Puertecito Canyon bounds the permit azea on the south. Surface mining activities were conducted in Lorencito Canyon and on the north ridge of Jeff Canyon. Land use of the permit area is dominated by rangeland/wildlife habitat. Ninety-nine (99) percent, or 3117 acres, of the permit area is, by Coal Regulation definition, rangeland wildlife habitat. Cropland and irrigated cropland occupy 25 acres, mainly along the Purgatoire River alluvial valley floor. Soils in the permit azea aze thin, and in places, non-existent. The exception is the valley bottoms, where soils are moderately well developed. Clay loam, with a low infiltration rate, describes the majority of soils in the area. An oak/pinyon community dominates vegetation in the permit area. Most of the land in the permit area, with the exception of the canyon bottoms and a few small grassland meadows, would be rated poor for suitability as rangeland. Numerous wildlife species occur through the permit and adjacent azea. The permit area is important year-round habitat for elk, deer, beaz and turkeys. A vaziety of small mammals and