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<br />II. Land Use - Rules 2.04.3. 2.05.5 and 4.16 <br />Tfie mine permit area consists of two separate areas of land use; the mine area <br />and the tie-across haul road. Each is addressed separately. <br />The predominant pre-mining land use on the mining area is rangeland/grazing <br />for domestic livestock and wildlife. Secondary uses consist of a small <br />industrial area (one active oil well) and minor water resources (three stock <br />ponds). The tie-across haul road pre-mining land use is classified as <br />cropland and rangeland with the western end classified as industrial due to <br />the Hayden Gulch coal loading facility. The cropland is non-irrigated and <br />represents an insignificant portion of the total farming unit (0.2~). These <br />uses are depicted on Exhibit 4.1 and described in Volume I, Tab 4. After <br />mining, the applicant plans to return the land to rangeland/grazing for <br />domestic livestock and wildlife. This is compatible with the adjacent lands <br />which are predominantly rangeland and wildlife habitat. Post-mining land use <br />is discussed in Volume IX, Tab 13 of the application. <br />The applicant, during the original permit review, contacted the legal or <br />equitable owners of record of the surface of the proposed permit area and the <br />State and local government agencies which would have to initiate, implement, <br />approve or authorize the proposed use of the land following reclamation. The <br />contacts were made by certified mail in order to solicit any concerns or <br />comments for the proposed post-mining land use plan (Tab 13) as required by <br />Rule 2.05.5(1)(b). No objections to the proposed post-mining land use were <br />received. <br />The Division hereby reaffirms the approval of the post-mining land use; the <br />land use being rangeland/grazing for domestic livestock and wildlife and <br />non-irrigated cropland (2.07.6(2)(1)). The proposed operation is in <br />compliance with Rules 2.04,3, 2.05.5, and 4.16. Information demonstrating <br />compliance can be found in Volume IX, Tab 13, pages 13-1 to 13-12; Volume 1 <br />Tab 4, pages 4-1 to 4-18, Appendix 4-1, and Exhibit 4-1. <br />III. Cultural and Historic Resources - Rules 2.04.4 and 2.05.6(4) <br />The applicant conducted a site-specific literature search and a complete <br />archeological survey of the permit area. Results of these studies can be <br />found in Volume I, Tab 5, Cultural Resources of the permit application. <br />The literature search of records was conducted at the Office of the State <br />Archaeologist of Colorado, the Office of the State Historic Preservation <br />Officer and the Bureau of Land Management's Little Snake Rtver Resource Area <br />Office. The only site of record within proximity to the permit area is a rock <br />art shelter site north of the study area. <br />Western Cultural Resource Management, Inc. conducted a complete pedestrian <br />survey. The study area was larger than the permit area. The survey found ten <br />sites and five isolated finds. Of these two were <br />rock art site located outside the permit area and <br />located within the permit boundary but outside any <br />be no impact to these sites from the operations. <br />considered significant; a <br />a potential camp site <br />disturbed area. There will <br />-8- <br />