REV101722 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

West Elk Mine 2.04.12 Prime Farmland Information The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) has reviewed its soil survey information covering the area to be affected by the surface facilities at the West Elk Mine. They have determined that no prime farmlands exist on the affected area (Exhibit 34). To determine the presence of prime farmland in the Box Canyon tract, the Soil Conservation Service office in Delta, Colorado was contacted. SCS staff reviewed the soil survey information and maps for Sections 10, 11, 12, and 15 of the Box Canyon tract and concluded that there are no soils (soil map units) which would be classified as prime farmland (Waggoner, 1994). .Soils in the remaining area of the Box Canyon tract (Sections 14, 22, 23, and 26) have not been mapped by the SCS, as these are National Forest lands under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service is currently conducting a soil survey of the National Forest lands (Hughes, 1994). Information from the draft soil survey indicates that there are no prime farmland soil map units found in these areas of the Box Canyon tract (Hughes, 1995). ?, prime farmland investigation was conducted for the Refuse Pile Expansion (RPE) area in 1996. A letter was sent to the Natural Resource Conservation Service (MRCS, formerly Soil Conservation Service) in Montrose, Colorado requesting whether the soil series identified in the RPE area have been designated as prime farmland. The NRCS replied that the lands are suitable for either pasture and hayland production or rangeland, or for other purposes such as recreation. These lands are not suitable for cropland production and not considered to be prime farmlands. The NRCS correspondence is contained in Exhibit 70, Appendix M. Much of the South of Divide permit revision area encompasses National Forest lands under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. In order to determine whether or not the proposed E Seam development and_ mining activities in the South of Divide area would potentially impact prime farmland, as deSned by Rule 1.04(95), MCC contacted both the NRCS and USFS. Their review of available soil mapping and land use information relative to the prime farmland definition and criteria indicates that no prime farmland areas exist within the South of Divide area (refer to prime farmland determination letters included in Exhibit 39). Pursuant to CDMG Rule 2.04.12(3), MCC requests a negative determination for the presetce of prime farmland on the lands to be affected, based on the absence of prime familand soil map units on soil surveys conducted by the SCS and U.S. Forest Service. References for Rule 2.04 Altman, B., and R. Sallabanks, 2000. Olive-sided flycatcher (Contopus cooperi). In The birds of North America, No. 502 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania., and the American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. Andrews, R. and R. Righter, 1992. Colorado birds: A reference to their distribution and habitat. Denver Museum of Natural ?Iistory, Denver, Colorado. 442 pages. 2.04-173 Revised April 2004 PRf 0