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The current facilities area site .involved limited residential use until the opening of the Bear No. 3 Mine in 1982. the area above the workings was, and is, wildlife habitat. Small areas designated as cropland are located along the North Fork of the Gunnison River at the mouth of Sylvester Gulch, immediately to the east of the Bear No. 1 portal area, and below the mouth of Gribble Gulch approximately 1 1/2 miles downstream of the town of Somerset. The proposed post-mining land use for the Bear No. 1, 2, and 3 Mines is consistent with the pre-mining land use. Bear No. 1 and 2 have been backfilled and revegetated for use as undeveloped land and wildlife habitat. The facilities area of the Bear No. 3 Mine is to be reclaimed for wildlife habitat and limited residential use. Bear Coal Company has obtained permission from Anchor Coal Company to reclaim the Bear No. 3 Mine site for these post-mining land uses (Bear No. 3 Permit Revision, Exhibit 12). Reclamation responsibility for 1 rge part of the Bear No. 1 facilities area has been transferred to Mountain~~~mpany (MCC). Mountain Coal Company incorporated a large part of the~Bear No. 1 and 2 facilities area into the MCC permit area as part of a 1984 permit revision. Bear Coal Company has retained reclamation responsibility for the Bear No. 1 and No. 2 portal areas. Land that is under Bear Coal Company's control at the Bear No. 1 and 2 Mines has been reclaimed as undeveloped land and wildlife habitat. In summary, Bear Coal Company has committed to returning land to the pre-mining land uses of undeveloped land for Bear No. 1 and 2 and to return the Bear No. 3 property to undeveloped land supporting limited wildlife and limited residential uses. These land uses are consistent and compatible with Gunnison County zoning. The surface landowners, ARCO, Somerset Coal Company, Anchor Coal Company, Grand Mesa Properties, and the Highway Department, have provided written approval of the post-mining land uses. Cultural and Historic Resources - Rules 2.04.4 and 2.05.6(4) and2.07.6(2)(e) Information regarding the cultural and historic resources of the permit area are in Section 2.04.4 of the Bear No. 1 and 2 permit application, and in Section 2.04.4, and Exhibits 6 and 7 of the Bear No. 3 permit revision application. No known cultural or historic resources that are listed or are eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places exist within the life-of-mine permit area or in areas to be affected by mining. This determination has been made through examination of files of the Colorado Historical Preservation Office, the Colorado State Archaeological Office, the Colorado Office of the Bureau of Land Management, the State Historical Preservation Office and the National Register. The Colorado Historic Preservation Office was contacted by the Division at the initiation of this renewal process. Results of a March 1977 archaeological survey of the permit area are presented in Exhibit 7. No archeological resources were discovered. No public park or national historic place will be adversely affected by the Bear mining operation; therefore, a damage mitigation plan is not required per Rule 2.05.6(4). -4-