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through the fault zones even in areas where the mine is lower than Trout Creek stream <br />level. <br />A mine sump water sample was taken and the analysis is presented on page 59 of the <br />permit application. This analysis shows acceptable water quality as defined for the Trout <br />Creek drainage by the Colorado Department of Health, Water Quality Control <br />Commission. The mine workings slope down into the hillside. Groundwater inflows are <br />expected to reach an equilibrium and the mine is not expected to discharge. Information <br />pertaining to ground water hydrology can be found on pages 58-70 of the permit <br />application. <br />Vegetation <br />The surface facilities area was disturbed prior to the enactment of the Colorado Surface <br />Coal Mining Reclamation Act. Since quantitative vegetation data was not required when <br />the surface disturbance occurred at the Apex Mine, no premining soils or vegetation data <br />are available. Therefore, the operator provided SCS soils mapping and range site <br />descriptions based on adjacent areas with similar topography, aspect and parent material. <br />Extensive wildlife baseline studies which cover the Apex No. 2 Mine permit area have <br />been conducted by the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Colorado-Yampa Coal <br />Company, a nearby surface coal mine. No rare or endangered species were identified <br />within this permit area. <br />Land Use <br />The land use within the permit area prior to any mining was rangeland and wildlife <br />habitat. In the early 1900'5, the first coal mining operations were opened along Trout <br />Creek. These mines were accessed by what is now Routt County Road 29. The Apex <br />No. 2 Mine portals and work area are constructed on the previously disturbed site of the <br />old Apex No. 1 work area. Since county road 29 was previously a mine road a specific <br />exemption to leave the county road is in section XII of this findings document. <br />Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plans <br />The Apex mine No.2 was reclaimed during the fall of 1992. All surface structures with <br />the exception of the shop/ bathhouse were removed. The shop and bathhouse were left <br />at the request of the land owner. The portals were backfilled per MSHA standards. <br />Conveyor structures, coal stacker tubes, hoppers, crusher/screening building and fuel <br />storage tanks were auctioned off and removed from the permit area. <br />Apex No. 2 Mine, C-81-011 7 May 5, 1993 <br />