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West Elk Mine <br />. Description of Possible Subsidence Consequences - 2.05.6(6)Ib)(II <br />Pre- and Post-mining Land Uses -2.05.6 (6)(b)(i)(A) <br />As indicated in the Mountain Coal Company Coal Methane Drainage Project EA (February <br />2002), North Fork Coal EIS (2000), and Environmental Analysis U-94-37 (November 1994), <br />prepared by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in <br />cooperation with the U.S. Office of Surface Mining (OSM) and other jurisdictional agencies, the <br />permit area lands support wildlife use, dispersed recreation, and livestock grazing. <br />The Forest Service Amended Land Resource Management Plan prescribed land use <br />designations of the Box Canyon lease tract, South of Divide permit revision area, and <br />surrounding USFS lauds as "SA" and "tiB," which emphasize wildlife habitat and livestock <br />grazing, respectively, and may provide recreational opportunities for semi-primitive non- <br />motorized, semi-primitive motorized and roaded natural settings. The area is generally open <br />to off-road motorized use, as identified on the "Gunnison Area Basin" National Forest map. <br />It is anticipated that little or no impacts to wildlife and domestic livestock uses, and their <br />respective habitat will occur as a consequence of mining-induced subsidence on the permit area. <br />In the unlikely event that subsidence effects adversely impact wildlife or domestic livestock uses <br />associated mitigation measures will focus on returned disturbed areas to a capability and <br />land use(s) which existed prior to mining. These mitigation measures may include, but not be <br />limited to, repairs of surface cracks that aze deemed dangerous to human, wildlife, or livestock. <br />The repairs of the cracks may include backfilling with available native soils, gravels, concrete <br />block, etc. Stream flows will be returned to their channels if, in the unlikely event, they aze <br />diverted by surface subsidence cracking. These repairs can include the use of bentonite or native <br />soils to seal the fractures. Temporary culverts in ditches and streams may also be used to bridge <br />surface cracks while the best method to seal the fractures is determined. Livestock fences <br />damaged b mining related activities will be repaired as soon as possible. Roads will be repaired <br />through reding or filling if adversely affected by subsidence. Roads and approved trails will <br />also be clear d if rocks or other debris fall across their path due to mine related subsidence. <br />Effects of Mining on Surficial Geologic Features <br />When evaluating the effects of mining in the permit revision area, the present land use, the post- <br />mining land use and the effects of previous mining in the azea should be considered. Present <br />land uses primarily include wildlife habitat, recreational hunting, and livestock grazing. Post- <br />mining land uses will be essentially the same. <br />Evaluation of the effects of past and current longwall mining on surface features indicates that <br />surface cracks and visible surface effects are relatively rare and have been documented as <br />follows: <br />~~ <br />2.05-97 Revised November 2004 PRIO <br />