|
• LAND USE
<br />The present land use of the proposed Exploration Drilling pad area consist of domestic
<br />grazing, wildlife habitat, watershed, recreational lands, and big game hunting. No
<br />agricultural azeas exist within the area.
<br />Coal mining has a long history in the North Fork Valley. Mountain Coal Company has
<br />operated the West Elk Mine as a viable mine since 1981 with an underground longwall in
<br />operation since 1992. Currently there are three mines in the North Fork Valley, the
<br />Sanborn Creek Mine operated by Oxbow Mining, Inc. and the $owie No. I and No. 2
<br />Mines operated by Bowie Resources Limited and the West Elk Mine operated by
<br />Mountain Coal Company, L.L.C., (MCC): Other mines that have existed in the valley
<br />include Beaz Mine Nos. 1, 2, and 3; Oliver Mine Nos. 1 and 2; Hawks Nest Mine, the
<br />Somerset Mine, and the Edwards Mine.
<br />CULTURAL RESOURCES
<br />Class III cultural inventories were conducted for coal exploration holes RAV-8 and RAV-
<br />10. The results of the surveys were negative for cultural resources and were submitted to
<br />the USFS. Cultural inventories have been conducted on the adjoining Ravens Gulch
<br />Exploration Area (COC-60622; expired). The list of studies includes six Class III surveys
<br />• and two Class II surveys (Metcalf Archeological Consultants, Inc., 1987, 1989, 1993,
<br />7/94, 8/94, 11/94, 1996, 1997); (Archeological Environmental Research Corp., 1990).
<br />The surveys were completed under the Federal Exploration License nos. COC-X1751,
<br />COC-381, COCO-X3793, COC-X8219, COC-60622, and those described in the 1996
<br />revision of the West Elk Mine, CDMG Permit No.C-80-007. No cultural resources were
<br />identified in those investigations.
<br />Additional Cultural Inventories include:
<br />• "Mountain Coal Company's West Elk Mine Gob VenUDe-Gas Boreholes
<br />Class III Cultural Resource Inventory T13S, R90W, Sections 23, 26, 27,
<br />34, and 35 Gunnison County, Colorado" June 2001
<br />• "Drill Pad Location 14-07 for Mountain Coal Company, West Elk Mine,
<br />Class III Cultural Resource Inventory, TL3S, R90W, Gunnison County"
<br />August 2001
<br />• "Mountain Coal Company, West Elk Mine, Block Cultural Resource
<br />Inventory for Five Drill Pad Locations and Access, T13S, R90W,
<br />Gunnison County" August 2001
<br />PROPOSED ACCESS ROUTES
<br />The access route for the Exploration Drill Pad will utilize Highway 133 to mile marker
<br />• 21, then following apre-existing road, south onto BLM surface lease, east onto MCC
<br />private land, finally switching back west onto BLM surface lease, where the Exploration
<br />
|