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• the south of the North Fork is deeply dissected by tributary streams, and is bounded on <br />the south and east by the West Elk Mountain Range. <br />Land Use -Rules 2.04.3. 2.05.5 and 4.16 <br />Post-mining land use information is located in section 2.05.5 of the Bear No. 1 and 2 <br />permit application. Post-mining land use information for the Bear No. 3 Mine is located in <br />section 2.05.5 and 4.16 and Map 8 of the permit revision application. <br />Pre-mining land use of the Bear No. 1 and 2 portal areas was undeveloped land used <br />primarily as wildlife habitat. The Bear No. 1 portal area has been historically used -for <br />mining. The site was used for mining continuously from 1934 to 1982. The Bear No. 2 <br />portal area was undisturbed until 1980 when an access road was constructed and portals <br />were driven into the C-Seam. Bear Coal Company reclaimed the Bear No. 1 and 2 area in <br />1982. The Bear No. 3 portal and facilities area was undeveloped land prior to mining <br />disturbance in 1934. The Edwards Mine was developed at the site of the current Bear No. <br />3 portals in 1934. The Edwards Mine was operated by several operators until the mine <br />went into bankruptcy in 1966. <br />The current facilities area site involved limited residential use until the opening of the Bear <br />No. 3 Mine in 1982. The area above the workings was, and is, wildlife habitat. Small <br />areas designated as cropland are located along the North Fork of the Gunnison River at the <br />mouth of Sylvester Gulch, immediately to the east of the Bear No. 1 portal area, and <br />• below the mouth of Gribble Gulch approximately 1 %: miles downstream of the town of <br />Somerset. <br />The proposed post-mining land use for the Bear No. 1, 2, and 3 Mines is consistent with <br />the pre-mining land use. Bear No. 1 and 2 have been backfilled and revegetated for use as <br />undeveloped land and wildlife habitat. The facilities area of the Bear No. 3 Mine is to be <br />reclaimed for wildlife habitat and limited residential use. Bear Coal Company has obtained <br />permission from Anchor Coal Company to reclaim the Bear No. 3 Mine site far these <br />post-mining land uses (Bear No. 3 Permit Revision, Exhibit 121. <br />Reclamation responsibility for a large part of the Bear No. 1 facilities area has been <br />transferred to Mountain Coal Company (MCCI. Mountain Coal Company incorporated a <br />large part of the Bear No. 1 and 2 facilities area into the MCC permit area as part of a <br />1984 permit revision. Bear Coal Company has retained reclamation responsibility for the <br />Bear No. 1 and No. 2 portal areas. Land that is under Bear Coal Company's control at the <br />Bear No. 1 and 2 Mines has been reclaimed as undeveloped land and wildlife habitat. <br />In summary, Bear Coal Company has committed to returning land to the pre-mining land <br />uses of undeveloped land for Bear No. 1 and 2 and to return the Bear No. 3 property to <br />undeveloped land supporting limited wildlife and limited residential uses. These land uses <br />are consistent and compatible with Gunnison County zoning. The surface landowners, <br />ARCO, Somerset Coal Company, Anchor Coal Company, Grand Mesa Properties, and the <br />Highway Department, have provided written approval of the post-mining land uses. <br />,. <br />4 <br />