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-8- <br />• The climat_ in the region is semi-arid,. ?revailing winds at or near around level <br />at the mine are dictated by the orientation of t.4e deeply incised ,Munger Canyon <br />and occur from the north-northeast. The annual average precipitation recorded <br />at Fruita (2Z miles southeast of Munger Canyonl is 8.8 inches. Mean monthly <br />temperatures recorded at Grand Junction range from 26.6 to 78.7oF, and .Wean <br />annual temperature is estimated at 52.7°F. <br />The soils mapped in the permit area consist of the Glendive, Havre, Nihi11 <br />and Rivra series wiv:ch are well to excessively drained and have formed in <br />alluvial or coZluviaZ sediments. Sei1s are deepest in the valley bottoms and <br />become shallower along the canyon sideslopes where they intersperse with bare <br />rock. A11 of the soils are rated good to fair as sources of topsoil for <br />reclamation. Limitations exist, however, for subsoils in the alluvium which <br />demonstrate strongly alkaline pB values. <br />The mine occurs within the lower montane climax region. Four distinct <br />vegetation types occur within and adjacent to the permit area. A greasewood <br />shrubland type occupies the flat terrain along the East Sait drainage where <br />soils are deep, well-drained and often very sodic and moderately saline. A <br />big sagebrush shrubland occurs along drainages and sidedraws to east Salt Creek <br />where soils are deep and well-drained. Shadscale shrubland borders the grease- <br />wood shrubland along the dry, steeper, south-facing slopes in the shallower <br />soils which are interspersed with rock outcrops. Finally, Juniper woodland is <br />found along the ridgetops and steep north and west-facing slopes of shallow <br />soils and rock outcrops. These •vegetation types are common to western Colorado <br />• and Utah. <br />The Zoadout is Zocated in Loma, Colorado along a pre viouslu disturbed loadout <br />siding leased from the Denver and Rio Grande Western (DSRGA') Railroad. The <br />total disturbed area consists of 5.56 acres. <br />3. L~scriation of the Operations and Reclamation Plan <br />ouch of the JS acres of total planned disturbance for the surface facilities <br />has already been disturbed. the exist'_ng operation consists of the bench, <br />portal and face-up developments and ,nine support trailers. A coal surge pile <br />also exists at the site. The only planned future disturbances consist of two <br />sediment ponds and topsoil stockpiles, a waste disposal pile and a relocated <br />road, all of which will be constructed after permit approval. <br />Coal is ;Wined underground in an updip di rectien, using room and pi'__'ar techniques. <br />The nine workings have already progressed. to a toi^t eoproxi:mately 2500 `eet <br />:rpm the portal en tires into the lcwer salit of the Cameo seam. mho operation <br />will produce anoroximately '_49,000 tons or roa1 in the first year, :rith an <br />acceleration to 847,000 tons in the fifth year. The total anticipated pro- <br />duction _`or the mine is approximately 51,187,000 tons over a thirty-year period. <br />The raininc operations for this First five-year permit term wii_' consist of the <br />development of access waus t.4much lease blocks C-0125515 and C-0125~i6 in <br />Loth the Cameo and Upper Carbonera seams. The Jpoe_ Carbonera seam will be <br />accessed by ramps dri:•en vp from the Cameo ~+orkings. ^_'he Cora' _rea to be <br />permitted, in cludi nc the por^iors of these :eases ~+4_ch :~i:i be :e velcped, <br />_s 775..7 aces. <br />• <br />