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-3- SUMMARY The Review Process, Description of the Environment and Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan The Review Process H-G Coal Company is applying for a permit revision under the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act at the Hayden Gulch mine. The mine is located in Routt County, Colorado approximately 10 miles south of Hayden along County Highway 53 in sections 30 and 31 of T5N, RSSW. The load-out for the mine is situated approximately two miles southeast of Hayden in parts of sections 10, 14, 15, 22 and 23 of T6 N, R88W. The Hayden Gulch mine has been in existence since January, 1918 and is currently operating under a permit (C-003-80) issued on January 4, 1981 by the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division (the Division). H-G Coal Company submitted an application for a permit revision on March 20, 1984, pursuant to section 34-33-115 of the Act. The permit revision application was found complete on April 17, 1984. Since that time the application has been under review by the Division to determine compliance with the Rules and Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining. On June 14, 1984, the Division sent a letter to H-G Coal Company which identified deficiencies in the application which were noted during the preliminary adequacy review. Resolution of these deficiencies was required in order for the Division to make determinations of compliance. H-G Coal Company responded to the comments in a meeting with the Mined Land Reclamation Division on June 7, 1984. The responses to the ]etter and the meeting were submitted to the Division on July 6, 1984. Description of the Environment The mine site is located in an upland area at an elevation of approximately 7600 feet. Land use in this area consists of grazing and wildlife habitat. Several species of birds and large and small mammals were noted in the area during a wildlife survey. Cattle are grazed in the area from May until October. The mine is situated within the Williams Fork Mountains which lie at the southern edge of the Wyoming Basin physiographic province. Structurally, the area is underlain by the southwestern limb of the northwest plunging Watering Trough Syncline, producing dips in the local strata of four to eight degrees northeast. Although faults have been identified in the area, none have been located within the permit boundaries. Coal mined by the operation is within the upper unit of the Williams Fork Formation. The coals are separated by siltstones, mudstones and sandstones. At the base of the upper unit of the Williams Fork Formation, 200 to 300 feet below the coal zone, is the 100 foot thick ledge forming Twentymile Sandstone. The Twentymile Sandstone outcrops below the southern end of the mine site.