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to any surface disturbance. As no surface disturbance in proposed within the
<br /> Jumbo Mountain lease area, the survey has not be completed.
<br /> The two vegetations types that occur within the area to be affected by surface
<br /> facilities are a dry meadow type and a moist, mixed shrub type.
<br /> Fish and Wildlife - Rule 2.04.11
<br /> Numerous wildlife species inhabit the general area. The most predominant are
<br /> mule deer, American elk, and black bear. Other species include: coyotes,
<br /> long-tailed weasels, desert cottontails, snowshoe hare, beaver, raccoon, Red
<br /> squirrel, woodrat, ringtails, yellow marmots, ermine, skunk, muskrat, badger,
<br /> porcupine, bobcat, white-tailed jackrabbit, marten, mink, red fox, grey fox,
<br /> spotted skunk, deer mouse, :!ong-tailed vole, golden-mantled ground squirrel,
<br /> chipmunk, red-backed vole, rock squirrel, western jumping mouse, masked shrew,
<br /> wandering shrew, various songbirds, upland gamebirds, waterfowl, and raptors.
<br /> There is no designated critical habitat on the study area. However, the Fish
<br /> and Wildlife Service has proposed 2,094 river miles of the Colorado River and
<br /> its tributaries as critical habitat for the Colorado Squawfish, Razorback
<br /> sucker, Humpback chub, and Bonytail chub. These species, on the Federal and
<br /> State! candidate and listed species, have the potential of occurring on the
<br /> study area, or could be affected by a lease and subsequent coal development.
<br /> None of the fishes occur on the study area, or in the North Fork of the
<br /> Gunnison River.
<br /> The Colorado Division of Wildlife has established a corridor along the North
<br /> Fork of the Gunnison River for use by the bald eagle (Haliaeetus
<br /> leucocephalus) , which is a common winter visitor to Colorado. BIM inventories
<br /> conducted in 1978 through 1980, and monitoring flights conducted through 1985,
<br /> did not locate any roost or nest sites, or areas of winter concentration on or
<br /> near the study area. The possibility exists for nesting to occur along the
<br /> North Fork of the Gunnison River.
<br /> Loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) , Federal category 2 species, use has
<br /> not been recorded on the study area, although potential breeding and nesting
<br /> habitat is present. Loggerhead shrikes are dependent upon sagebrush and
<br /> gambol oak shrub communities for breeding and nesting habitat in this region
<br /> during spring and summer. They are uncommon in the area during winter.
<br /> For specific information regarding study areas, methods for identification and
<br /> counting of the various wildlife present in the area, see Section 2.04.11 of
<br /> the permit document.
<br /> Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan - Rule 2 .05.3 and 2.05.4
<br /> Mining at the West Elk underground mine began in 1982. The West Elk Mine
<br /> lease block consists of minable coal reserves in four Federal coal leases, and
<br /> one private lease. Together the five leases encompass approximately 13,000
<br /> acres. The F and B seams have been mined and the E seam is planned to be
<br /> mined in Lease D-044569; the F and B seams have been mined (and B seam mining
<br /> continues) in Lease C-0117192; the B seam is planned to be mined in Lease
<br /> COC-54558; and the B seam has been mined, and further B seam and E seam is
<br /> planned to be mined in Lease C-1362. Mining in the F seam using
<br /> room-and-pillar mining techniques occurred from 1982 to 1991. In April 1989,
<br /> an application for a technical revision for an incidental boundary change to
<br /> add :35.5 acres to the permi-- area was submitted. The revision was for access
<br /> and associated activities by way of slopes and a ventilation shaft from inside
<br /> the existing F seam workings to the B seam. The revision also included mining
<br /> in the B seam by room and pillar, as well as longwall mining methods. The
<br /> 35.5 -acre incidental boundary change was necessary to accommodate the B seam
<br /> main access entries. The Division subsequently issued a proposed decision to
<br /> approve the revision on July 12, 1989 .
<br /> In 1990, the West Elk Mine began preparations to produce coal from the B seam.
<br /> Initially, room-and-pillar mining using a continuous miner was utilized to
<br /> develop panels in the B seam, for later removal using longwall methods. The
<br /> B seam will be mined during this permit term. Mining in the F seam has been
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