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• No threatened or endangered species of plants exist at the McClane Canyon site, based on information supplied by the applicant. Fish and Wildlife Colorado MLRD has consulted with Colorado Division of Wildlife personnel who are familiar with the area. Both agencies agree that there is little potential for adverse effects of the mine on wildlife since nearly all of the anticipated surface disturbance has occurred and a very limited area is affected. OSMRE has conditioned the mining plan approval to ensure the applicant contributes to the Colorado River conservation fund for endangered £ish species as mitigation of .the effects of depleting waters from the Upper Colorado River Basin. BackfillinR and Grading Because the mine is an underground mine, only a limited area of surface disturbance will require backfilling and grading. All portals and the sediment pond will be backfilled. The coal seam will be completely covered with backfilled material. Drainage will be restored to approximate premining conditions. If underground development waste is generated during mining it will be retained in the mine workings. Salt Creek Mining Company has proposed to partially backfill cut-slopes at the mine portal bench. Natural slopes in the vicinity are very steep and complete backfilling of the existing cut slopes would be difficult. Colorado MLRD has conditioned the permit to ensure an adequate grading plan and stability analysis. Socioeconomics Assessment The Salt Creek Mining Company employs 15 persons at the McClane Canyon mine. Hourly operating personnel work at the minesite, approximately 20 miles north of Loma, Colorado, on I-70 west of Grand Junction. According to the company, the number of employees will not vary from the current level during the projected 2-3 year life of this mining operation. The Company reported that all past employees resided in the Fruita-Grand Junction area. Only one did not live in the area before being employed. Employees commute to work via car pool or private auto. Since the minesite is actually in Garfield Co., that county will receive the direct benefit of the increase in assessed valuation due to mine property and equipment. Mesa County will benefit to a lesser degree from purchases by mine employees, as well as residential property taxes. Earlier projections of mine-induced revenues in the East-Central Colorado Coal Environmental Statement, BLM, 1978. p. 796, were $4,000,000 for Mesa County and considerably more for Garfield Co. However, these estimates • were based on the expectation of a much larger operation getting underway sooner with several hundred employees. During this phase of the McClane Canyon mine, the public revenues generated by only 15 employees residing in Mesa Co. would be relatively minor. -7-