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on the more xeric southern slopes with scattered individuals of Douglas Fir-Ponderosa Pine <br />encountered on more mesic northern slopes. The valley bottom of Hay Gulch is occupied by <br />introduced pasture. <br />Wildlife <br />A variety of wildlife species utilize the permit and surrounding areas. The Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife has identified the general area of the mine site as critical deer winter range. Since no new <br />surface disturbance is planned, the effect to wildlife will not increase during the course of mining. <br />Wildlife use will increase upon completion of successful reclamation. <br />Prime Farmland <br />NRCS and the Division have made a negative determination of prime farmland in the area. <br />Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plans <br />Underground room and pillaz operations are employed at the King Coal Mine. The coal is mined <br />in two continuous mining sections. After coal is removed from the working face, both sections <br />utilize shuttle cars to transport coal to conveyors, which in turn transport the coal to the surface. <br />The surface operations associated with the underground mining operation consist of crushing, <br />stockpiling and loading coal. No coal processing facilities exist at the site at this time. Four types <br />of coal are stockpiled temporazily on the surface: lump, stoker, railroad, and mine run. During <br />the crushing of the coal, fines are generated. The fines are combined with the mine run coal and <br />sold. <br />Annual coal production is around 200,000 tons per year with the possibility of increasing to <br />300,000 tons per yeaz. The anticipated life of the mine at the lower rate of mining is estimated <br />through the year 2030. <br />Approximately 10.88 acres have been disturbed. Further surface disturbance is anticipated due <br />to the expansion of the coal waste pile. Surface facilities in the disturbed acreage consist of an <br />office building, change house, shop, scale house, mobile trailers, guard shack, tipple area with <br />numerous coal storage bins, coal storage area, mine exhaust fan, 10,000 gallon water storage <br />tank, the air wash plant, and an electrical substation. There is only one road serving the site, a <br />combination prelaw haul/access road leading from County Road 120 to the facilities area crossing <br />Hay Gulch. Reclamation will consist of dismantling and removing most of the structures, <br />backfilling and sealing the underground portals, regrading the area to achieve a stable, productive <br />landform, top soiling, seeding, and mulching. The proposed post-mining land use is rangeland <br />and wildlife habitat. <br />Detailed information on the King Coal Operations Plan is found in Section 2.05.3 of the permit <br />application. Details of the Reclamation Plan are in Section 2.05.4 of the permit application. <br />7 <br />