1996-01-26_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1980007

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held on October 7, 1994. The proposed decision to approve the revision was issued on October 21, 1994. The Apache Rocks Permit Revision (Permit Revision No. 6) was submitted to the Division on June 8, 1995. The application was deemed complete for the purposes of filing on June 18, 1995. Appropriate agencies were notified of the application by letters dated June 19, 1995. The company's newspaper publication occurred in the Delta County Independent on June 21 and 28, and July 5 and 12, 1995. Division adequacy review letters were sent to Mountain Coal Company on June 30, 1995; August 25, 1995; September 20, 1995; October 18, 1995; November 20, 1995; January 15, 1996; and January 26, 1996. All concerns have been adequately addressed by Mountain Coal Company. Mountain Coal Company responses and all comments received from other agencies are available for review at the Division office. The proposed decision was issued on January 26, 1996, with full consideration of the adequacy and other agency responses. Operations at the WEM have been conducted under several different names in the past. Before 1991, the WEM itself was known as the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine. Since the mine opened, operations were conducted under the following names: Anaconda Minerals Company, ARCO Coal Company (a Division of Atlantic Richfield Company), and West Elk Coal Company, Inc. The most recent name change from West Elk Coal Company, Inc., Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine, to Mountain Coal Company, West Elk Mine, was processed by the Division as a Succession of Operator. Both companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Atlantic Richfield Company. The Division issued a proposed decision to approve the name change pursuant to Rule 2.08.6(4) on December 20, 1991. The decision was final following the public comment period, on January 20, 1992. Description of the Environment Site Description and Land Use - Rule 2.04.3 The West Elk Mine (WEM) is located approximately one mile east of the town of Somerset on Colorado State Highway No. 133. The western permit boundary extends to the outer slopes of Jumbo Mountain. The eastern permit boundary is generally located in the Sylvester Gulch, Box Canyon and Deep Creek watersheds. The northern extremity of the permit area is bounded by the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The southern boundary of the permit aura approaches Minnesota Reservoir. The Somerset and Bear Mines are located just northwest of the mine facilities. The general area in which the mine is located is along the western flank of the West Elk Mountains within the drainage basin of the North Fork of the Gunnison River and is characterized by a semi-arid environment of steeply sloping mountains covered primarily with tall shrub vegetation, particularly Gambel oak and Saskatoon serviceberry. The area is currently used for grazing domestic livestock (cattle and sheep) and wildlife (deer and elk). Recreational activities such as big game hunting also occur here. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent on the permit area, and elevations range from 5,900 feet at Somerset in the valley of the North Fork, to about 8,000 feet in the extreme southeast comer of the permit area. 5