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mine opened, operations were conducted under the following names: Anaconda Minerals <br />Company, ARCO Coal Company (a Division of Atlantic Richfield Company), and West Elk <br />Coal Company, Inc. The name was changed from West Elk Coal Company, Inc., Mt. Gunnison <br />No. 1 Mine, to Mountain Coal Company, West Elk Mine, and processed by the Division as a <br />Succession of Operator. Both companies aze wholly owned subsidiaries of the Atlantic Richfield <br />Company. The Division issued a proposed decision to approve the name change pursuant to <br />Rule 2.08.6(4) on December 20, 1991. The decision was final following the public comment <br />period, on January 20, 1992. The permit was subsequently transferred by succession of operator <br />to Mountain Coal Co. LLC, a subsidiary of Arch Coal, Inc., on Apri123, 1998. <br />Description of the Environment <br />Site Description and Land Use -Rule 2.04.3 <br />The West Elk Mine is located approximately one mile east of the town of Somerset on Colorado <br />State Highway No. 133. The western permit boundary extends to the outer slopes of Jumbo <br />Mountain. With permit revision No. 11, the eastern permit boundary was extended into the <br />Raven Gulch and Deep Creek watersheds. The northern extremity of the permit azea lies just <br />north of the North Fork of the Gunnison. The southern boundary of the permit azea extends <br />south of Minnesota Reservoir into the drainage basins of Minnesota Creek, Dry Fork, Lick <br />Creek, and Poison Gulch. The active Elk Creek Mine is located just northwest of the West Elk <br />Mine facilities, north of the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The inactive Beaz I, II, and III <br />Mines aze next to the West Elk Mine on the west. The inactive Oliver Mine is next to West Elk <br />on the east. <br />The West Elk Mine is on the western flank of the West Elk Mountains in the drainage basin of <br />the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The climate is semi-arid. Topography is characterized by <br />steeply sloping mountains covered primarily with tall shrub vegetation, particulazly Gambel oak <br />and Saskatoon serviceberry. The general area where the mine is located is currently used for <br />grazing domestic livestock (cattle and sheep) and wildlife (deer and elk). Recreational activities <br />such as big game hunting also occur here. <br />Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent on the permit azea, and elevations range from 5,900 feet at <br />Somerset in the valley of the Norlh Fork, to about 8,000 feet in the extreme southeast corner of <br />the permit azea. <br />The steep slopes of the stream valleys and the instability of the rock strata in the North Fork <br />drainage basin have contributed to numerous landslides, mud flows and rock falls. These mass <br />wasting features have been mapped by W.R. Junge of the Colorado Geological Survey and <br />published as an open file report, entitled "Geologic Hazazds, North Fork Gunnison River Valley, <br />Delta and Gunnison Counties, Colorado." <br />The primary land uses within the permit azea aze chazacterized as rangeland and woodland <br />supporting big game (deer and elk) and livestock (cattle and sheep). Portions of the lease azea <br />aze within the boundaries of Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. <br />25 <br />