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. subsidence as changes which prevent resroration of affected structures and with respect to <br />renewable resource lands; changes which disnipt an aquifer, or a recharge area to an aquifer,, <br />which senses as a beneficial use of water; or changes which prevent restoration of productivity <br />for agricultural lands. <br />There are no active faults adjacent to or on the proposed modification area (Zapp, 1949). No <br />other geologic hazards are known to exist. <br />No known fossils of significance have been found on or near the modification area. The Mesa <br />Verde Group yields sparse faunas ofboth marine and non-marine elements. No study exists with <br />specific reference to the botanical fossils related to the Menefee coals nor on the non-marine <br />invertebrates on the associated units (Fischer, 1981). <br />WATER <br />The proposed ]ease modification area lies beneath the northern end of the Rattlesnake Gulch <br />drainage. Rattlesnake Gulch is an ephemeral drainage of variable gradient. Surface water within <br />the drainage occurs as a result ofseasonal spring runoffand following summer/fall storm events. <br />The proposed modification area is not in a major ground water recharge azea. Mining activity <br />in the proposed lease modification azea would occur approximately 40 feet above the piezometric <br />groundwater surface, which is static water level. <br />VEGETATION <br />No onsite investigations were conducted of the proposed lease modification azea. The following <br />information is excerpted from the COC 60941 Coal Lease Application EA (1997), and generally <br />describes the project area. <br />"The general project azea consists of pasture and mountain shrub type vegetation <br />along with pinon juniper. The most prominent shrubs include Gambel oak ( uercus <br />ag mbelii), Mountain mahogany (Cercocar~rs montanus), and Utah serviceberry <br />(Ame[attchier utahensis). Other important shrubs include Antelope bitterbrush <br />(Pttrshia tridentata), Squaw-apple (Peraph ly lam ramosissimum), and Green ephedra <br />(Ephedra viridis). Scattered pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) and Utahjuniper (Juniperus <br />utahensis) occur on the more xeric sites, while scattered ponderosa pine (Pinus <br />not:derosa) and Douglas fir (Psettdotsupa menziesii occur on the more mesic sites. <br />Important species in theunderstoryincludebluegrass Poasp~.),westernwheatgrass <br />(Aeropvron smithii), bottlebrush squirreltail (Sitanion hvstrix), yucca (Yucca <br />bacca[o), and milkvetch (Astra~nlus ~.). <br />Portions of the project area have undergone various vegetation treatments including chaining, <br />• <br />