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r Climate in the area is semi-arid, with approximately 15 inches of precipitation annually. Forty- four (44) percent of the total annual precipitation comes in the form of rainfall during the months of May, July and August, and sixty-seven (67) percent occurs between May and October. Wind speeds average slightly over 8 miles per hour on an annual basis and are out of the southwest one third of the time. Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plans Only surface mining will be conducted at the Lorencito Canyon mine. The total anticipated affected and disturbed area is approximately I S l7 acres. Map 2.05.3-1 of the permit application depicts the mine plan and the life-of--mine plan. Disturbance at the site will begin with haul road construction up to the Jeff Canyon surface mine, modifying and upgrading the existing road, as necessary. Sediment ponds will be constructed in side drainage valleys as necessary. A coal loadout area of about 5 acres will be developed along the Purgatoire River valley adjacent to the Trinidad rail line. Only surface mining in the Jeff Canyon area will occur during the frst three years, with contour mining beginning in year 4 in lower Lorencito Canyon. Surface mining operations in the Jeff Canyon area will be conducted using mountaintop removal techniques. Surface mining will commence at the eastern side of the ridge between Jeff Canyon and the Purgatoire River. Mining will progress to the west, with development of a highwall and fill construction in the small side drainages. Overburden material will be moved using a combination of dozers, trucks and loaders, and cast blasting. Sediment control structures will be constructed in advance of the disturbance in each watershed. Overburden material will be regraded to approximate the original contour prior to re-application of subsoil and/or topsoil material. Surface mine facilities will be portable and moved as the mine progresses. Coal will be shuttled by rail from the rail loadout at the mouth of Lorencito Canyon to the New Elk mine site (permit no. C-81-012) located approximately 8 miles to the west. Coal mill then be washed (if necessary) in the prep plant and/or loaded onto unit trains for transportation to market. Refuse will be disposed of in the existing refuse disposal area (RDA) at the New Elk site. The applicant estimates 1.6 million cubic yards of topsoil and subsoil will be removed. Some of this topsoil will be stockpiled for re-application. However, much of the topsoil material will belive-handled on the surface mine area, when possible. Topsoil will be re-applied to a depth of .9 feet at the surface mine, l .6 feet along reclaimed roadways, 2.5 feet at the loadout, and .9 feet at the pond locations. The revegetation plan has three main objectives. The first is to assist in controlling excessive erosion and sedimentation. Secondly, the objective is to establish a vegetative cover that is ecologically comparative to the native, pre-mine community. A final objective is to restore wildlife, grazing, watershed, and aesthetic values to meet the post-mining land use.