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The soils found within and adjacent to the mine plan area are typical of soils found in the cold, <br />semi-arid regions of the Western United States. The soils are generally moderately deep (20 to <br />40 inches) to shallow (10 to 20 inches) and have developed in weathered, interbedded fine <br />sandstone, siltstone, and shale, and in local slope wash and colluvium. Most of the soils are <br />Borollic Vertic Camborthids, Lithic Cryoborolls, and Pachic Cryoborolls. <br />Most of the soil types found in the mine plan area contain at least six inches of suitable topsoil <br />material. The best sources of topsoil material are the Splitro silt loam, the Winevada Loam, and <br />the Cochetopa Loam which comprise significant portions of the area to be dismrbed. Salvage <br />depths vary from 6 to 64 inches, resulting in an overall soil replacement depth of 15 inches over <br />regraded areas. <br />Ve elation <br />Vegetation in the vicinity of the mine is characterized by three vegetative types; mixed brush, <br />sagebrush grassland, and aspen. Land use in this area is undeveloped rangeland, with a small area <br />classified as industrial due to an oil well site. Because of livestock grazing, shrubs have increased <br />in density while fortis and grasses have decreased. <br />Vegetation in the vicinity of the tie-across haul road is characterized by four vegetative types: low <br />sagebrush, meadow, cropland, and greasewood. Land use in this area is non-irrigated cropland, <br />industrial and rangeland. The non-irrigated cropland is used primarily for winter wheat <br />production. The designated industrial area classification is the permitted Hayden Gulch Mine <br />Loadout. <br />Fish and Wildlife <br />Numerous wildlife species inhabit the general area of the mine site and tipacross haul road. The <br />most predominant big game species are elk and mule deer. Pronghorn antelope frequent the <br />vicinity of the tie-across haul road. Common raptors are golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, great <br />horned owl, marsh hawk and American kestrel. Use by greater sand hill cranes occurs in the area <br />of the tie-across haul road with an active staging area for these birds located approximately 0.75 <br />miles north of the road. <br />Cultural and Historic Resources <br />The applicant conducted a number of site-specific literature searches and archeological surveys <br />of the permit area between 1979 and 1990. SCC has completed archaeological surveys of all <br />currently permitted and proposed areas associated with the extension. During these cultural <br />resource inventories, 10 sites and 5 isolated finds were identified. Of these only 2 were <br />considered significant; one rock art site with adjacent fve-rock and one potential large camp site. <br />The camp site will not be dismrbed, and appropriate mitigation measures have been proposed for <br />the rock art/fire-rock sites. <br />Seneca It-W Findings Document 8 June I5, 2001 <br />Permit Renewal No~ 3 <br />