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-7- INTRODUCTION West Elk Coal Company operates the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 underground coal mine, which is located approximately 1 mile east of Somerset on Colorado State Highway No. 133. The, mine portal facilities are located on the South side of the North Fork of the Gunnison River at an elevation of 6,450 feet. The eastern and western extremities of the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine permit area are bounded closely by Sylvester Gulch and Gribble Gulch, respectively, and the northern extremity of the permit area is bounded by the North Fork of the Gunnison River. the southern boundary of the permit area ranges from approximately one mile to a quarter mile north of the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek. The general area in which the mine is located is characterized by a semi-arid environment of steeply sloping mountains covered primarily with tall shrub vegetation, particularly oakbrush and serviceberry. The area is currently used for grazing by domestic livestock (cattle and sheep) and wildlife (deer and elk). Recreational activities such as big game hunting also occur here. The Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine permit area is drained by the North Fork of the Gunnison River, which is part of the Colorado River drainage basin. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent on the permit area, and elevations range from about 5,900 feet at Somerset to approximately 8,000 feet at the southern extremity of the permit area. , The general direction of mining is southward to extract coal from the F-seam. The coal moves via conveyor belts from portal to breaker to silo, then across the river to a railroad loadout station where it is loaded onto trains for shipment to market. The ultimate size for the Mt. Gunnison No 1 Mine is approximately 2.8 million tons per year, and it is estimated by the operator that the production buildup to this level is expected to cover a period of ten years, contingent upon coal sales. Room and pillar mining methods are planned for use in the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine. Permanent reclamation of the mine surface facilities site and other disturbed areas will occur incrementally during the operation as suitable areas become available, such as the initial and upper waste rock piles. The estimated duration of the entire life of the mine operation is approximately 40 years. During reclamation, the mine portals will be sealed, surface facilities removed, and the entire disturbed area will be returned to approximate original contour, with the exception of the waste rock piles. The mine area will then be smooth graded, and compacted areas will be ripped or scarified to eliminate slippage surfaces, establishing a suitable bond for the overlying seedbed material. Topsoil, which has been salvaged during construction of the surface facilities, will be redistributed over the disturbed area. Drainage control will be retained until the revegetation operation is underway. Following the distribution of topsoil and final grading, the newly shaped surface will be prepared for planting. Surface preparation will loosen and roughen the surface by disking, harrowing, or dragging. Various conditioners and neutralizers may be used to modify the seedbed conditions to ensure successful establishment of a vegetative cover.