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small area classified as industrial due to an oil well site. Because of livestock grazing, shrubs have increased in density while fortis and grasses have decreased. Vegetation in the vicinity of the tie-across haul road is characterized by four vegetative types: low sagebrush, meadow, cropland, and greasewood. Land use in this area is non-irrigated cropland, industrial and rangeland. The non-irrigated cropland is used primarily for winter wheat production. The designated industrial area classification is the permitted Hayden Gulch Mine Loadout. Fish and Wildlife Numerous wildlife species inhabit the general area of the mine site and tie-across haul road. The most predominant big game species are elk 'and mule deer. Pronghorn antelope frequent the vicinity of the tie-across haul road. Common raptors are golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, great homed owl, marsh hawk and American kestrel. Use by greater sand hill cranes occurs in the area of the tie-across haul road with an active staging area for these birds located approximately 0.75 miles north of the road. Cultural and Historic Resources The applicant conducted a number of site-specific literature searches and archeological surveys of the permit area between 1979 and 1990. SCC has completed archaeological surveys of all currently permitted and proposed areas associated with the extension. During these cultural resource inventories, 10 sites and 5 isolated fmds were identified. Of these only 2 were considered significant; one rock art site with adjacent fire-rock and one potential large camp site. The camp site will not be disturbed, and appropriate mitigation measures have been proposed for the rock art/fire-rock sites. Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan The Seneca II-W Mine is a surface mine operation. The mine is adip-slope, area strip mine utilizing conventional dragline .mining methods. The permit boundary of this application encompasses two geographically separated areas; the mine area permit boundary and the tie-across haul road permit boundary. The mine area permit boundary includes three separate areas (north, south and south extension) and associated facilities. The north block consists of the C and D Pits and the south block consists of the A and B Pits. As of May 2003, mining has been completed in the north block, the South Block A Pit, and all but the final cut of the B Pit. Mine Pits A,B, C, and D were oriented perpendiculaz to the cropline and the coal in the mine pit area dipped approximately 18 to 25%. A single dragline operated alternately within the north and south areas. The Wadge coal seam was mined in all foar pits from the cropline to approximately 100 feet in depth. Seneca II-W Findings Document 11 June 15, 2001 Permit Renewal No. 3 .May 2, 2003