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The primary vegetative community in the permit azea is a warm season/cool season grassland <br />with scattered trees and shrubs. The adjacent azeas have similaz vegetation with <br />Piiion-Juniper predominating amidst grassland. The azea to be affected by the operation is <br />characterized by a grassland community with scattered trees. The dominant grasses on the <br />site are blue grams (Bouteloua racilis and western wheatgrass (AQropyron smithii . The <br />community also consists of lesser quantities of other grasses, forbs and cactus. Pinon pine <br />Pinus edulis and gambe] oak uercus ambelii occur in small stands. <br />Pre-mining land use in the 38-acre permit area associated with the Rimrock Mine and <br />adjacent areas is primazily pasture and rangeland. Mining began in the permit area in 1893 <br />and has been intermittent since that time. <br />Incidental use of the permit area by wildlife has been noted. Species observed in the azea <br />include mule deer, Meriam's turkey, skunk, and cottontail rabbit. Consultation with the <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife indicate other species likely in the area in include black bear, <br />mountain lion, and elk. The closest identified eagle nest was located approximately four <br />miles east and '/a mile south of the permit area as verified in a letter from Mr. James L. <br />Aragon of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, dated August 6, 1987. There are no known <br />threatened or endangered species identified within or in close proximity to the permit area. <br />Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plans <br />The Rimrock Mine permit azea is 38.0 acres. Acreage previously allowed to be disturbed <br />during the permit term was not to exceed 19.6 acres. The mine actually disturbed 11.12 <br />acres. As a result of this permit renewal, the sediment pond and the road disturbance are <br />approved to remain, a combined disturbance of 1.57 acres. Therefore, the actual disturbance <br />associated with the phased bond release process and ten (10) year liability period is 9.55 <br />acres. No further disturbance is anticipated. The permit term will be five years. Coal was <br />mined at the Rimrock Mine by strip mining methods. Mining was conducted in the <br />Engleville Seam which splits into the upper and lower Starkville seams in the nearby Raton <br />Creek Mines. The Engleville Seam lies neaz the stratigraphic center of the Vermejo <br />Formation. <br />Under the original permit, i[ was anticipated that an average of 30,000 tons of coal would be <br />mined annually with a total of 15Q000 tons mined over the five yeaz period. Prior to <br />overburden stripping, topsoil was to have been removed from the pit area and stored in <br />accordance with the Division's requirements. Each mining working azea was held to about <br />1.5 acres in size and was to be completely restored and revegetated (seeded) before stripping <br />in another area began. No more than 1.5 acres was to have been exposed at one time. The <br />initial boxcut overburden material was to have been used to reclaim the last 1.5 acre stripped <br />area, providing for only temporary stockpiling of overburden material from the initial cut. <br />The remaining disturbances, comprised of one sediment pond and one haul road, were not to <br />be reclaimed, but were proposed to be left in stable condition at the request of the landowner. <br />6 <br />