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Detailed information about the review process for permit revisions and renewals can be found within the Act and the Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining. All Rules referred to in this document are contained within those regulations. Specific information about the mining and proposed reclamation operation can be found in the permit and permit revision applications on file with the Division of Minerals and Geology, 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215, Denver, Colorado 80203. Description of the Environment The Trapper Mine is located on the northern slope of the Williams Fork Mountains between approximately 6,500 and 7,500' elevation. The crest of the Williams Fork Mountains forme a long ridge running east-west at elevations between 7,400 and 7,700 feet. The Yampa River flows generally east to west to the north of the permit area, while the Williams Fork River flows south of the mine site, meeting the Yampa River to the west of the mine. The bedrock that outcrops in the vicinity of the mine is of Cretaceous age and, in general, is part of either the Williams Fork Formation of the Meea Verde Group or of the conformably overlying Lewis Shale.. IInconsolidated alluvial deposits of Quaternary age are also found near the mine in the valleys of the Yampa and Williams Fork Rivers as well as in several ephemeral stream drainages on and adjacent to the mine property itself. The Williams Fork Formation is stratigraphically subdivided into three unite or members. These are, in ascending order, the lower Williams Fork, the Twentymile sandstone, and the upper Williams Fork, with individual thicknesses of 920', 100' and 680' respectively. The coal seams being developed at Trapper Mine, designated H, 2, L, Q, Q rider, R and R rider, all lie within the upper Williams Fork member. Structurally, the mine is situated on the south limb of the northwest plunging Big Bottom syncline. There are no major faults identified within the area of the mine. Drainages within and adjacent to the permit area (on the north-facing slope) run south to north down the slope in a dendritic pattern. Within the permit area are portions of the following drainages, listed from west to east: Buzzard, Coyote, No Name, Johnson, Pyeatt, and Flume. These drainages flow primarily in response to snowmelt and/or heavy rains. All of these drainages discharge eventually into the Yampa River. There is also a small portion of the southern portion of the permit area which drains southward to the Williams Fork River. These drainages include the upper portions of Ute, Castor, Deer, Elk and Horse Gulches. Within the general area of the Trapper Mine, ground water exists in both bedrock and alluvial aquifers. Signifir_ant bedrock aquifers are the Trout Creek, Middle, Twentymile, and White sandstones. The Middle, Twentymile and White sandstones lie within the Williams Fork Formation; the Trout Creek sandstone is the uppermost member of the underlying Iles Formation. The major alluvial aquifers in the area are associated with the Yampa and Williams Fork Rivers. Many of the bedrock coals, discontinuous sandstones, and siltstones and some of the smaller alluvial bodies in the area of the mine are also water bearing. These, however, characteristically contain insufficient quantities of water to be considered significant aquifers. The climate of the region is classified as highland continental, and is characterized by low precipitation, large fluctuations in diurnal temperatures, low humidity, moderate wind, and high levels of insolation (exposure to sunlight). The local climate of the Craig, Colorado area is characteristic of the semi-arid steppe regions. Due to massifs to the west and east of the Craig area and the corresponding topographic effects, this locale experiences a high number of dry, clear days. The average annual precipitation for the area is 13.5 inches, of which over one-third is snowfall (averaging 66.5 inches/year). The mean annual Page 4