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Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division Rules 2.05.6 and 4.20 require that 'underground mining <br />• activities shall be planned and conducted so as to prevent subsidence from causing material <br /> damage to the surface'. Material damage is defined in Rule 2.05.6 with respect to subsidence as <br /> changes which prevent restoration of affected structures and with respect to renewable resource <br /> lands; changes which disrupt an aquifer, or a recharge area to an aquifer, which serves as a <br /> beneficial use of water; or changes which prevent restoration of productivity for agricultural lands. <br /> Implementation of these regulations will minimize the impacts of subsidence. <br /> Transportation <br /> There is no coal truck traffic increase expected as a result of this operation. At maximum <br /> production three trains a week will haul coal out of the valley from the Orchard Valley Mine. <br /> County wide traffic associated with coal related growth would not be expected to significantly <br /> overload any county or State road system. While traffic accidents would be expected to increase <br /> an unspecified amount, the accident rate (accident per vehicle mile) itself would not be expected to <br /> increase. <br /> Wildlife and Endangered Soecies <br /> In order to protect and minimize impacts to the Grand Mesa Penstemon that may occur, a <br /> Threatened and Endangered plant survey will be required prior to any surface disturbance. In <br /> addition, in order to protect and preserve breeding and nesting habitat for the Loggerhead shrike, <br /> disturbances in sagebrush and oak stands should be avoided to the extent possible. <br /> Coal leasing would have no impact on populations of listed Federal & State Endangered fish <br /> • species. The Fish and Wildlife Service, through informal consultation, determined 'no effect' <br /> would occur to these endangered fish species as the result of this proposal. No water depletion to <br /> the Upper Colorado River drainage system will occur as a result of this action. <br /> Cultural Resources <br /> Impacts to cultural resources in the unsurveyed portions of the application area could occur if <br /> future surface disturbances were proposed. These potential impacts can be mitigated by a pre- <br /> activity cultural resource inventory prior to surface disturbance. <br /> Water Resources <br /> Coal extraction or the resultant subsidence of overburden could disrupt and drain ground water <br /> systems. Ground water systems, if encountered in the coal seams or disrupted overburden, are <br /> recharged from either the North Fork or the ephemeral drainages overlying the proposed lease tract. <br /> Therefore, disruption of ground water systems could have secondary impacts in the form of water <br /> depletion to these surface water systems. <br /> Surface effects from subsidence could alter surface flow patterns or intercept surface runoff <br /> waters. The severity of surface subsidence would be greatest where the shallowest overburden <br /> occurs. Because the overburden thickness ranges from 1,500 to 2,500 feet and averages 2,000 <br /> feet, it is not likely that there will be a loss of surface or groundwater due to coal mining. <br /> Mitigating measures have been incorporated that are designed to provide complete protection of <br /> the surface and groundwater resources in and adjacent to the lease tract. These mitigating <br /> measures were developed as a result of public comments on the Uinta Southwest Utah EIS, 1983. <br /> Page 11 <br />