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SUMMARY OF THE PERMIT REVIEW HISTORY THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE MINING AND RECLAMATION PLAN Sheridan Enterprises, Inc. applied for a permit under the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act to mine Federal coal at the McClane Canyon Mine. The Salt Creek Mining Company succeeded to the rights to the permit application. The mine is located in Garfield County, Colorado approximately 20 miles north of Loma on Colorado Highway 139 in sections 15, 16, and 21 of T.7S, R.102W. The total anticipated production during the initial permit term was 369,500 tons of coal extracted at a rate of 123,000 tons per year. Ownership of the coal is 100 percent Federal. Ownership of the surface is mixed Federal (BLM) and private. Federal ownership is situated within the upland areas and private parcels are located along the East Salt Creek drainage. Please refer to Figure 1.1-3a.(s) within Volume II of the permit application for specific locations of parcels. The permit area encompasses 248 acres, of which 67.7 acres will be potentially affected by underground mining operations during this three year permit term. Approximately 1.7 acres are disturbed by surface operations and facilities. Permanent regulatory program approval was granted when the operation was permitted on April 16, 1982. The McClane Canyon Mine has been in temporary cessation since January 17, 1984. On October 17, 1984, Salt Creek Mining Co. submitted a request for renewal of their existing permit No. C-004-80. The request was found complete on October 24, 1984 and Public Notice of the requested permit renewal was published on November 7, 14, 21, and 28, 1984 in the Glenwood Post. A letter requesting additional information from the applicant was sent out on December 11, 1984. Responses to the letter were submitted to the Division on March 4, 1985 and were incorporated into the permit application. 2. Description of the Environment The McClane Canyon Mine is located at an elevation of approximately 5,800 feet. Land use within the permit and adjacent areas is rangeland and wildlife habitat. Rangeland is generally confined to the lower lying canyon bottom lands. The upland area consists of steep slopes and rugged topography and is primarily used by wildlife. Some irrigated agriculture is practiced in the East Salt Creek Valley which is adjacent to the permit area.