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-8- Vegetation in the general area is limited by the low precipitation. In the southern portion of the Canon City Co al, Field vegetation is predominately a grassland/woodland community dominated by olue grams grass on the gently sloping mesas and ponderosa pine on the hillslopes. In the central portion of the coal field near the proposed mine, the vegetation community is pinon juniper with some blue grams grasslands along drainages. Soils in the general area are relatively thin (less than 1 foot to the top of the C horizon) and alkaline, The soils are derived from the alluvial gravels and from shale and sandstone bedrock. In the permit area, soils are generally of the Louviers-Travessilla complex. The Lou viers soil, a cobbley clay loam, is found on side slopes and the Transsilla soil, a thin sandy loam, is found on canyon rims, ridges and upper sideslopes. As was discussed, most of the area to be used for surface facilities was previously disturbed by surface mining. Therefore, little salvageable topsoil remains. Typical wildlife species associated with the pinyon-juniper in the area to be disturbed are: mule deer, coyote, magpie, red tailed pinon jay, Western blue birds, least chipmunks, Colorado chipmunks and rattle snakes. Changes in the quality and amount of vegetative production due to overgrazing and previous mining have diminished wildlife production, health and species diversity. No threatened or endangered plant or animal species have been observed in the permit or adjacent area. Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan Twin Pines No. 2 Mine has been planned as a one section, room and pillar underground coal mine. An average annual production rate of 48,000 tons is anticipated. The estimated life of the operation is 14 years; three years to drive the main entries to the south lease boundary and 11 years of retreat room and pillar mining. Because the entries will be driven to the far southern end of the property during the first five year permit term, the five year permit area and the area for the life of the operation coincide. One hundred twenty-seven acres are included within the proposed permit area. The permit area is 127 acres, of which 9.75 acres will be utilized for surface facilities; 95Y of the surface facilities area was previously disturbed. The easement for the existing mine access road is 40 feet wide and 3,456 feet long, consisting of three acres, In addition, the applicant retains the reclamation obligation for four acres at the Twin Pines No. 1 tipple. All areas are shown on the attached Figure 3. As previously discussed, the Twin Pines No. 2 Mine has been designed and located within previously disturbed areas. Only 0,5 acre of undisturbed area will be utilized for the proposed operation. The additional disturbance results from the construction of a ramp and a fill in Lewis Gulch to facilitate a truck loading and a sedimentation structure. Any available topsoil in either undisturbed or disturbed areas will be salvaged prior to construction of the proposed surface operations,