Laserfiche WebLink
period, on January 20, 1992. The permit was subsequently transferred by succession of operator <br />to Mountain Coal Co. LLC, a subsidiary of Arch Coal, Inc., on Apri123, 1998. <br />Descrintion of the Environment <br />Site Description and Land Use -Rule 2.04.3 <br />The West Elk Mine is located approximately one mile east of the town of Somerset on Colorado <br />State Highway No. 133. The western permit boundary extends to the outer slopes of Jumbo <br />Mountain. With permit revision No. 11, the eastern permit boundary is generally located in the <br />Raven Gulch and Deep Creek watersheds. The northern extremity of the permit area lies just <br />north of the North Fork of the Gunnison. The southern boundary of the permit area approaches <br />Minnesota Reservoir. The Somerset Mine is located just northwest of the mine facilities, the <br />Bear III Mine lies adjacent to West Elk on the west, the Sanborn Creek Mine is south, on the <br />North side of the North Fork. <br />The general area in which the mine is located is along the western flank of the West Elk <br />Mountains within the drainage basin of the North Fork of the Gunnison River and is <br />characterized by a semi-arid environment of steeply sloping mountains covered primarily with <br />tall shrub vegetation, particulazly Gambel oak and Saskatoon servicebeny. The area is currently <br />used for grazing domestic livestock (cattle and sheep) and wildlife (deer and elk). Recreational <br />activities such as big game hunting also occur here. <br />Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent on the permit azea, and elevations range from 5,900 feet at <br />Somerset in the valley of the North Fork, to about 8,000 feet in the extreme southeast corner of <br />the permit area. <br />The steep slopes of the stream valleys and the instability of the rock strata in the North Fork <br />drainage basin have contributed to numerous landslides, mud flows and rock falls. These mass <br />wasting features have been mapped by W.R. Junge of the Colorado Geological Survey and <br />published as an open file report, entitled "Geologic Hazards, North Fork Gunnison River Valley, <br />Delta and Gunnison Counties, Colorado." <br />The primary land uses within the permit azea aze chazacterized as rangeland and woodland <br />supporting big game (deer and elk) and livestock (cattle and sheep). Portions of the lease area <br />aze within the boundaries of Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. <br />Cultural and Historic Resources -Rule 2.04.4 and 2.05.6(4) <br />Cultural and historic resources aze discussed in Section 2.04.4 of the permit document. Records <br />from the Historic Buildings and Sites file of the Colorado Historical Society and the <br />Archaeological Survey file of the Office of the State Archaeologist were reviewed for previously <br />recorded sites. No evidence was found indicating the existence of known sites in the vicinity of <br />the mine. An archaeological reconnaissance was also conducted. Field studies, laboratory <br />operations, and report preparation were completed by an archaeological team from Fort Lewis <br />College in Durango, Colorado. This report can be found in Exhibit 10 of the permit document. <br />No sites were found as a result of the field study. <br />24 <br />