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Numerous wildlife species occur through the permit and adjacent area. The permit area is <br />important year-round habitat for elk, deer, bear and turkeys. A variety of small mammals and <br />reptiles are also found in the permit area. Fish are generally limited to perennial sections of <br />streams and game fish are entirely limited to the Purgatoire River. Raptors utilize the permit and <br />adjacent area and 39 species of other birds were noted during bird surveys. <br />Climate in the azea is semi-azid, with approximately 15 inches of precipitation annually. Forty- <br />four (44) percent of the total annual precipitation comes in the form of rainfall during the months <br />of May, July and August, and sixty-seven (67) percent occurs between May and October. Wind <br />speeds average slightly over 8 miles per hour on an annual basis and are out of the southwest one <br />third of the time. <br />Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plans <br />The following description of the operation plan remains in this Permit Renewal findings <br />document for reference only. Reclamation plan information is approved as part of this renewal. <br />The renewal of the permit (RN-O1) is for reclamation only. <br />Only surface mining was conducted at the Lorencito Canyon mine. The total anticipated affected <br />and disturbed area is approximately 1517 acres. Map 2.05.3-1 of the permit application depicts <br />the mine plan and the life-of--mine plan. Underground coal reserves are identified in the life-of- <br />mine description. <br />Disturbance at the site began with haul road construction up to the Jeff Canyon surface mine, <br />modifying and upgrading the existing road, as necessary. Sediment ponds were constructed in <br />side drainage valleys as necessary. A coal loadout area of about 5 acres was developed along the <br />Purgatoire River valley adjacent to the A & K rail line. At the time of Permit Renewal No. I <br />(RN-O1), the rail line has been removed for scrap and salvage. The original mine plan was <br />implemented for only about 9 months before operations were halted. Only surface mining in the <br />Jeff Canyon area was conducted during that time. Surface mining operations in the Jeff Canyon <br />azea were conducted using mountaintop removal techniques. <br />