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Noise Tolerance <br />In September of 1983, a number of measurements were taken on decibal levels <br />resulting from coal and overburden blasts, and haul trucks (Table 14). <br />Measurements on blasts averaged 98 dBA at 1,000 feet, 95 dBA at 1,500 feet and <br />ranged from 79 - 88 dBA at 2,000 - 2,500 feet. Measurements on haul trucks <br />ranged from 60 - 84 dBA at 50 feet, 65 - 80 dBA at 200 feet, and 57 - 65 dBA at <br />700 feet. <br />CONCLUSIONS <br />This study is being conducted to satisfy stipulations to the CYCC mine and <br />reclamation=plan to document the impacts surface coal mining has an calving elk. <br />Mining has been conducted in an area that had been identified as a traditional <br />elk calving ground. It was felt that mining of the area would result in <br />significant negative impacts on elk. Therefore, the area was initially declared <br />unsuitable for mining. However, this unsuitability designation was reversed as <br />additional information became available regarding the extent of the elk calving <br />area. It was subsequently decided that this area could be leased and mined and <br />the anticipated negative impacts which were expected as a result of mining could <br />be substantially mitigated by a study, because the situation provided an <br />excellent opportunity to study the specific effects of coal mining on elk <br />behavior. <br />Some of the reasons for the anticipated negative impacts on the local elk <br />herd were initially thought to include the following: <br />1. It was assumed that use by elk (as a sensitive wildlife species) would <br />be reduced 100% within a quarter mile radius of mine facilities and <br />active mining (Green River-Hams Fork Coal Region Round Two Draft <br />Environmental Impact Statement). <br />2. It was felt that elk exhibited a high degree of fidelity year after <br />year to calving sites and it was not known if they could successfully <br />relocate to adjacent habitat (Seidel 1977). <br />9 <br />