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adequately to any applicable stipulations or conditions). In determining whether to approve or <br />deny a renewal, the burden shall be on the opponent of the renewal. <br />Description of the Environment <br />The Bowie No. 1 Mine is situated in the northeastern portion of Delta County, Colorado, and is <br />located approximately four (4) miles north of Paonia, Colorado, along the Steven's Gulch Road. <br />The western extremities of the Bowie No. 1 Mine permit area are bounded closely by the East <br />and West Roa[cap Creek drainage divide, and [he northern boundary is located at approximately <br />the Morrell Cow Camp azea. The location of the entire Bowie No. 1 permit azea can be found on <br />Figure 1. The coal loadout facilities are located approximately one mile northeast of Paonia <br />along Stale Highway No. 133. The general area in which the mine is located is characterized by a <br />semi-arid environment of steeply sloping mountains. <br />Both the main mine portal facilities and the loadout were constructed in the 1970's, prior to the <br />passage of the Colorado Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act (SMCRA). <br />Land Use -Rules 2.04.3. 2.05.5, 4.16 <br />The discussion of land use may be found in Volume 1 on pages 1 to 10 of Section 2.04.3 and <br />pages 80 to 83 of Section 2.05.5. Aland use appendix is located in Volume 9, along with Map <br />No. 9-1, "Land Use Information Map." <br />The permit area can be divided into two general land use categories. The loadout is within an <br />azea historically used as cropland or, more specifically, orchazd ]and. The permit area north of <br />Highway 133 is used as short-term grazing and wildlife habitat. Grazing tends to be short term <br />due to the low productivity of the pinon-juniper and oakbrush vegetation. <br />Some recreational use, hunting and hiking in particular, occurs within the mine azea. There are <br />also a few summer homes, cow camps, and even a restaurant that has been used intermittently. <br />The pre-mining land use classifications on the area aze: (1) grazing land for domestic livestock <br />and wildlife, (2) orchard land in the azea of the loadout facilities, and (3) previous mine <br />disturbances. <br />After mining, Bowie Resources Limited plans to return the land [o the pre-mining land uses of <br />grazing for livestock and wildlife for the mine site, and orchard land for the loadout facilities. <br />The permit renewal will not change the previously approved post-mining ]and uses. <br />Cultural and Historic Resources -Rules 2.04.4, 2.05.6(4) <br />Cultural, historic, and azchaeological studies have been conducted over the life of mine and <br />adjacent areas in April and May of 1977, August 1980, August 1981, July 1982, May and <br />September of 1984, and July 1986. The methodology and results of these surveys are set forth in <br />10 <br />