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VI. Post-Mining Land Use A. The Division approved an altemativepost-mining land use for the loadout site. The alternative land use involved rezoning the loadout site as AgriculturaURuraUResidentiaU Industrial, so that a golf course, pazking lot, and residential development could be constructed in the area. The land use meets the criteria of Rule 4.16.3. B. The Division approved an alternative Bost-mining land use for the Developed Water Resource azea, a 4.1 acre portion of the mine site, comprised of the mine portal dischazge collection and water treatment system facilities. C. The approved post-mining land use for the mine site is rangeland, which is consistent with the pre-mining and surrounding azea land uses. VII. Protection of Fish, Wildlife, and Related Environmental Values A. The applicant proposed the use of persistent pesticides on the site during mining and/or reclamation operations. Herbicides were used to control noxious weeds on the reclaimed mine site. The Division approved this usage (4.18(4)(g)). B. Fish and wildlife habitat is a planned post-mining land use. The applicant selected appropriate plant species and distributions to benefit fish and wildlife (4.18(4)()7). VIII. Operations on Alluvial Valley Floors Rules 2.06.8 and 4.24 provide for the identification of alluvial valley floors that aze or could be suitable for agricultural use. These rules, in part, aze designed to preserve and protect these areas. An important point to be considered with regazd to this operation is the fact that the operation (mine and loadout) was constructed prior to the enactment of the alluvial valley floor regulations for underground coal mines. Prior to the Colorado Permanent Regulatory Program, the alluvial valley floor regulations did not apply to underground coal mines or associated loadouts. For those mining facilities akeady constructed on alluvial valley floors, the Division is ensuring that those azeas will be restored after mining in accordance with Rule 4.24. However, all new mining operations proposed by the operator were reviewed under the full context of alluvial valtey floor regulations. For the purposes of this section, the mine and loadout will be discussed sepazately. A. Mine Site The operator conducted areconnaissance-level study of the mine azea to determine those areas that might qualify as alluvial valley floors. The study azea is indicated on Map D-5-1 and discussed in Volume I, Section 5.2, of the application. The study area included the potentia120+ year life-of--mine azea, in addition to the first permitted five-year mine plan area. Also, azeas adjacent to the life-of--mine were considered for distances in excess of three 33