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chipmunk, red-backed vole, rock squirrel, western jumping mouse, masked shrew, wandering <br /> shrew, various songbirds, upland gamebirds, waterfowl, and raptors. <br /> There is no designated critical habitat on the study area. However, the Fish and Wildlife <br /> Service has proposed 2,094 river miles of the Colorado River and its tributaries as critical <br /> habitat for the Colorado Squawfish, Razorback sucker, Humpback chub, and Bonytail chub. <br /> These species, on the Federal and State candidate and listed species, have the potential of <br /> occurring on the study area, or could be affected by a lease and subsequent coal development. <br /> None of the fishes occur on the study area, or in the North Fork of the Gunnison River. <br /> The Colorado Division of Wildlife has established a corridor along the North Fork of the <br /> Gunnison River for use by the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), which is a common <br /> winter visitor to Colorado. BLM inventories conducted in 1978 through 1980, and <br /> monitoring flights conducted through 1985, did not locate any roost or nest sites, or areas of <br /> winter concentration on or near the study area. The possibility exists for nesting to occur <br /> along the North Fork of the Gunnison River. <br /> Loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), Federal category 2 species, use has not been <br /> recorded on the study area, although potential breeding and nesting habitat is present. <br /> Loggerhead shrikes are dependent upon sagebrush and gambel oak shrub communities for <br /> breeding and nesting habitat in this region during spring and summer. They are uncommon in <br /> the area during winter. <br /> For specific information regarding study areas, methods for identification and counting of the <br /> various wildlife present in the area, see Section 2.04.11 of the permit document. <br /> Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan - Rule 2.05.3 and 2.05.4 <br /> Mining at the West Elk underground mine began in 1982. The West Elk Mine lease block <br /> consists of minable coal reserves in five Federal coal leases, one private lease and other fee <br /> coal properties. Together the leases encompass approximately 15,500 acres. <br /> Six major coal seams exist on the.West Elk Mine property. The seams are identified by letter <br /> with the A Seam being the lowermost and the F Seam the uppermost. The intervals between <br /> the seams vary from as little as 15 feet to more than 250 feet. <br /> The economically minable coal reserves in these leases occur in two of the six seams (the E <br /> and B Seams). The B Seam has been mined and the E Seam is planned to be mined in Lease <br /> D-044569; the B Seam has been mines in Leases COC-54558 and C-0117192, where mining <br /> continues; the B Seam is planned to be mined in Lease COC-56447; and the B Seam has also <br /> been mined, and further B Seam and E Seam are planned to be mined, in Lease C-1362. <br /> Mountain Coal Company believes the E Seam can be mined without precluding mining of the <br /> B Seam. This conclusion is based on experience gained by the Mountain Coal Company <br /> since opening the West Elk Mine, recent geotechnical analyses, and advances in mining <br /> technology. <br /> Mountain Coal Company mined in the F Seam from 1982 to 1991 from Lease D-004569 and <br /> C-0117192. This mining was only marginally successful. Poor mine roof conditions, <br /> sandstone channels, low coal areas, poor coal quality areas, and other unfavorable conditions <br /> 14 <br />