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The West Elk Mine collected baseline vegetation information in 1975, 1976, and 1993 by
<br /> studying a designated environmental study area, which extends approximately one mile
<br /> outside the permit boundary and mine plan boundary. This area is approximately 25,560
<br /> acres in size. This survey identified ten vegetation types and six land types. They are as
<br /> follows: 1) Aspen, comprising 19 percent of the study area; 2) Douglas fir, comprising four
<br /> percent of the study area; 3) Wet Mixed Shrub, comprising 50 percent of the study area,
<br /> dominated by serviceberry and Gambel oak; 4) Dry Mixed Shrub, comprising 10 percent of
<br /> the study area, distinguished by serviceberry, Gambel oak, Mountain mahogany, Cliff
<br /> findlerbush, and bitterbrush; 5) Oak, comprising one percent of the study area, including
<br /> Gambel oak and the larger size oak individuals (15-20 ft in height), which are limited to the
<br /> bottom of permanent stream drainages; 6) Juniper, comprising five percent of the study area,
<br /> which includes Rocky Mountain Juniper and Utah Juniper; 7) Riparian, comprising two
<br /> percent of the study area, 8) Sagebrush, comprising six percent of the study area; 9) Wet
<br /> Meadow, comprising one percent of the study area, distinguished by open boggy areas along
<br /> major drainages above 7,000 feet and openings in brushy or forested areas at elevations above
<br /> 8,000 feet, occupied by herbaceous species such as sedges and false hellebore; 10) Dry
<br /> Meadow, comprising one percent of the study area which is dominated by various shrub
<br /> species such as snowberry, Douglas rabbitbrush, and Gambel oak; 11) Barren Terrain,
<br /> comprising less than one percent of the study area which was identified by no apparent
<br /> vegetation cover; 12) Chained Area, comprising less than one percent of the study area, is so
<br /> named because the area has been mechanically treated by chaining to remove tall shrub
<br /> species and has been trenched along the contours and planted to ponderosa pine; 13)
<br /> Reservoir, comprising less than one percent of the study area and includes Beaver Reservoir
<br /> and Minnesota Reservoir; 14) Residential, comprising less than one percent of the study area
<br /> and includes the town of Somerset; 15) Industrial, comprising less than one percent of the
<br /> study area which includes the Somerset Mine, the Bear No. 3 Mine, railroad sidings, and
<br /> mine vents; and 16) Agricultural, comprising less than one percent of the study area.
<br /> In a 1994 Environmental Analysis (EA) produced by the Uncompahgre Basin Resource Area
<br /> of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the Jumbo Mountain coal lease, one plant
<br /> species, the Grand Mesa penstemon (Pensremon mensarum, a Federal category 2 species) was
<br /> noted as having the potential to occur in the area. The EA further required a threatened and
<br /> endangered plant survey prior to any surface disturbance. As no surface disturbance is
<br /> proposed within the Jumbo Mountain lease area, the survey has not been completed.
<br /> Additional and updated vegetation information was collected and submitted with the Apache
<br /> Rocks Permit Revision.
<br /> The two vegetation types that occur within the area to be affected by surface facilities are a
<br /> dry meadow type and a moist, mixed shrub type.
<br /> Fish and Wildlife - Rule 2.04.11
<br /> Numerous wildlife species inhabit the general area. The most predominant are mule deer,
<br /> American elk, and black bear. Other species include: coyotes, long-tailed weasels, desert
<br /> cottontails, snowshoe hare, beaver, raccoon, Red squirrel, woodrat, ringtails, yellow marmots,
<br /> ermine, skunk, muskrat, badger, porcupine, bobcat, white-tailed jackrabbit, marten, mink, red
<br /> fox, grey fox, spotted skunk, deer mouse, long-tailed vote, golden-mantled ground squirrel,
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