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Fish and Wildlife - Rule 2.04. 11
<br /> Numerous wildlife species inhabit the general area. The most predominant are
<br /> mule deer, American elk, and black bear. Other species include: coyotes ,
<br /> long-tailed weasels , desert cottontails , snowshoe hare, beaver, raccoon, Red
<br /> squirrel , woodrat, ringtails, yellow marmots , ermine, skunk, muskrat, badger,
<br /> porcupine, bobcat, white-tailed jackrabbit, marten, mink, red fox, grey fox,
<br /> spotted skunk, deer mouse, long-tailed vole, golden-mantled ground squirrel ,
<br /> chipmunk, red-backed vole, rock squirrel , western jumping mouse, masked shrew,
<br /> wandering shrew, various songbirds , upland gamebirds , waterfowl , and raptors.
<br /> For specific information regarding study areas , methods for identification and
<br /> counting of the various wildlife present in the area, see Section 2.04.11 of
<br /> 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
<br /> block consists of minable coal reserves in three Federal coal leases ,
<br /> encompassing 7,236 acres , and one private lease totalling 4,800 acres . From
<br /> 1982 until the fall of 1990, mining has only been in the F seam using
<br /> room-and-pillar mining techniques . In April 1989, an application for a
<br /> technical revision for an incidental boundary change to add 35.5 acres to the
<br /> permit area was submitted. The revision was for access and associated
<br /> activities by way of slopes and a ventilation shaft from inside the existing
<br /> F seam workings to the B seam. The revision also included mining in the
<br /> B seam by room and pillar, as well as longwall mining methods. The 35.5-acre
<br /> incidental boundary change was necessary to accommodate the B seam main access
<br /> entries . The Division subsequently issued a proposed decision to approve the
<br /> revision on July 12, 1989.
<br /> In 1990, the West Elk Mine began preparations to produce coal from the
<br /> B seam. Initially, room-and-pillar mining will be performed using a
<br /> continuous miner to develop panels in the B seam, for later removal using
<br /> longwall methods. The B seam will be mined during this permit term and mining
<br /> of the F seam will be relatively limited. Mining will continue in the F seam
<br /> while mining operations in the B seam are initiating. After mining in the
<br /> B seam is fully operational , mining in the F seam will probably be
<br /> discontinued, until market conditions improve so that this seam can be
<br /> economically mined.
<br /> The E seam will be the next and last seam that will be mined. The E seam lies
<br /> approximately 180 to 200 feet below the F seam interval . No mining in E seam
<br /> is planned during this permit term.
<br /> Mountain Coal Company plans to mine coal in the minable seams in ascending
<br /> sequence. This sequence was chosen because of an expected seven percent
<br /> improvement in the B seam resource recovery and better ground conditions.
<br /> There are an estimated 106.80 million tons of recoverable reserves in the
<br /> three minable seams. Life of mine is expected to be 40 years . The percent of
<br /> recovery in the mains and submains is approximately 30 percent. The overall
<br /> recovery in the mains and submains will increase to the extent that the
<br /> pillars can be extracted upon retreat. Panel extraction will range up to
<br /> 67 percent where pillars are recovered. The percent recovery in the
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