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10. The Division has in possession a Letter of Credit /l444 in the amount of $120,000. The <br />bond amount currently exceeds [he Division's projection of reclamation costs for <br />worst-case disturbance which will occur during the proposed permit term (2.07.6.(2)(j)). <br />11. The Division has made a negative determination for the presence of prime farmland within <br />the permit area. The basis for this decision was that there are no prime farmland mapping <br />units (soils) within the permit area and the land has not been historically used a cropland. <br />No new evidence has been submitted to alter this previous decision. Information submitted <br />in a new permit application for a nearby mine in Hay Gulch (La Plata Coal Corporation, <br />La Plata No. 1 Mine, permit application C-87-072) included a letter from the Soil <br />Conservation Service specifying the soils in the area do not quality as prime or unique <br />farmland. Therefore, the Division reaffirms a negative determination for the presence of <br />prime farmland within the permit area (2.07.6(2)(k) and 2.06.8(3)(c)). <br />12. Based on information provided in the application the Division has determined that an <br />alluvial valley floor exists within the permit or adjacent area. The alluvial valley floor is <br />known as Hay Gulch and will be minimally affected by the King Coal Mine (2.07.6(2) and <br />2.06.8(3)(C)). <br />For additional specific tindings concerning this alluvial valley floor please see Section B, <br />XIV. <br />13. The Division hereby approves the post-mining land use of the operation. It was <br />determined that agriculture (storage facilities for equipment) and wildlife habitat meets <br />the requirements of Rule 4.16 for the permit area (2.07.6(2)(1)). <br />14. Specitic approvals have been granted or are proposed. These approvals are addressed in <br />the following section, Section B (2.07.6(2)(m)). <br />15. The Division finds that the activities proposed by the applicant would not affect the <br />continued existence of endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction or <br />adverse modification of their critical habitats based on Colorado DOW and NRCS 1997 <br />T&E reports (2.07.6(2)(n)). <br />16. The Division has contacted the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation Fees Branch. As <br />of this time, July 29, 1997, the operator is current in the payment of reclamation tees <br />required by 30 CFR Chapter VII, subchapter R (2.07.6(2)(0)). <br />12 <br />