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• 1985 and 1986, and a seismic line by Grand River Institute in 1985. Western Historical Studies <br />conducted a coal mining survey in Routt and Moffat Counties in 1990 and 1991. Other block <br />studies included the 1983 Cow Camp UG drill sites and access roads by High Plains Consultants, <br />and 1977 coal lease areas study in Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt Counties by LOPA. Numerous <br />small inventories for core hole locations, access roads, and staging areas have been conducted in <br />the surrounding areas as well. MAC conducted the TCC's Fish Creek alluvial valley fill project <br />in 2003. This project resulted in the reevaluating of SRT157 (McKibbin 2003). <br />The file search also revealed 18 previously recorded sites and isolates within the sections the <br />current project is located. Only one site, SRT157 is within an APE for this project, while the <br />others are outside any proposed impacts: Site SRT157 was-first recorded by Grand River <br />Institute during the 1979 study of the Oak Creek Expansion. The site was reevaluated by MAC <br />in 2003 during the Fish Creek alluvial valley fill project. A portion of the site is Located at the <br />extreme northwest comer of the 500-foot block inventoried for the proposed bleeder shaft. This <br />site is a prehistoric lithic scatter that has been recommended as need data since it contains an azea <br />with intact soil deposition and could possible contain buried cultural material. <br />Statement of Objectives andProject Expectations <br />Following the mandated policies implementing the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA <br />[Pub]ic Law 89-665]), as amended, this project was conducted to locate any cultural resowces <br />within the APE. Any discovered cultural resowces are evaluated for eligibility to the NRHP. To <br />be eligible for the NRHP, the resowces must retain essential aspects of integrity and meet one or <br />more of the Criteria for Eligibility (36CFR§60.4). For azchaeological resowces, eligibility is <br />typically recommended under Criterion d, on the basis of the information potential of surface <br />artifacts and featwes, and intact subsurface cultural deposits. Historical resowces maybe <br />evaluated under any of the fow criteria on the basis of information potential or significant <br />historic associations. For the purposes of this project, all eligible and potentially eligible cultwal <br />resowces were avoided. <br />Based on previous inventories in the area, and the locations of the various lines and blocks, a <br />limited number cultural resources were expected. Prehistoric lithic scatters, small open camps <br />and isolated finds were anticipated along drainages and on topogaphic prominences. Historic <br />homestead remains and agriculturally related features were also anticipated. It was expected that <br />isolated finds would be more numerous than sites. <br />Field Methods <br />The proposed drill holes and shafts were inventoried with parallel pedestrian transects spaced <br />approximately 20 meters apart. Blocks measuring 500 ft x 500 ft where centered around each <br />proposed location. The proposed seismic lines and access roads were inventoried with two <br />pedestrian transects, one on each side of the flagged center line. Each transect covered 50 ft, so <br />• that total corridor width of 100 ft was inventoried. Particular attention was paid to areas of <br />