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general area. <br />Rangeland on the pernut azea is chazacterized as good condition sagebrush and mountain shrub <br />range that, in the past, was variously grazed by either sheep or cattle during the spring, summer <br />or fall. The rangeland also supports substantial populations of mule deer, elk, sage grouse, golden <br />eagles and numerous other wildlife species at vazious times throughout the yeaz. Post mine land <br />use will support wildlife and livestock utilization. <br />3.2.12 Wildlife <br />Measures to protect wildlife and related environmental values are presented in paragraph 4.18 of <br />the PAP. No threatened or endangered species.have been identified in the permit area:.No critical <br />habitat for any such species is known to exist. Herds of deer and ells aze regulazly seen grazing on <br />the reclaimed azea, especially during the winter. Rodent and small game populations have <br />reestablished on reclaimed azeas, and small birds and raptors ate numerous on reclaimed and.. <br />adjacent undisturbed areas. <br />Except for the immediate vicinity of the pump station on the Wilson Reservoir, there is no fish. <br />habitat or fish within the azeas to be mined or reclaimed. <br />3.3 Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plans . <br />3.3.1 Operations Plan <br />Detailed ittforrtration oathe ColewyQ Operations Plan is foxnfl hx Seetioa 2.11~~ o€ the PAP_ <br />Performance standazds associated with mining operations aze found iii Section 4 of the Peimif <br />and aze summarized in Section B of this document. The Colowyo Coal Mine is a strip mine. As <br />proposed, it consists of three pits (East, West, and Section 16 pits) operating within 7,531 <br />pemritted acres. A fourth pit, the Section 11 pit, was joined with the East Pit. The area of the <br />Seetio$11 pit has bees baekfilled, topsoileel and seeded- <br />Mining operations began in 1976 with the East Pit, amulti-seam coal operation that continues to <br />move in a southerly direction. Eight coal seams (Y, X, A, B, C, D, E, F) aze mined from the East <br />Pit, rangirig in thiclatess from two.to fifteen feet. The East Pit is nearly 6,000 feet from east to <br />west (width), and 1,000 feet is breadth (highwall to highwall), and 450 feet deep. Due to the <br />numberofcoal seams; immense size ofthe pit, and mahpower and equipment employed, pit <br />progression is slow, with additional disturbances of approximately 40 to 50 acres per yeaz: The <br />East Pit has reached a steady state where acreage disturbed approximately equals acreage <br />reclaimed in any given yeaz. However, reclamation of East Pit disturbed areas has been modified <br />by placement of West Pit development excess spoil. Extraction of coal from the East Pit is <br />planned through yeaz 2002 (Drawing 23, 8/14!01). <br />The still expanding, lazge, multi-seam West Pit is located to the west of the East Pit. The method <br />of operation utilized in, and the coal seams extracted from, the East Pit aze the same in West Pit. <br />October 21, 2002 17 <br />