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mining activities within the permit area, the area was used as rangeland by both domestic stock and <br />wildlife. Other uses include an oil well operation and several small stock watering ponds. • <br />According to the Soil Conservation Service, rangeland condition in the Mine Permit Area would be <br />classified as "fair". It appears that current vegetation production rates in the Mine Permit Area exceed <br />to some degree present grazing practices. Grazing competition between domestic stock and wildlife <br />would not appear to be a major concern due to different seasons of intensive use. <br />In general, steep slopes, poor soil conditions Tor farming, lack of ground water resources, a short <br />growing season, and a lack of dependable precipitation during the growing season all work against <br />agricultural development in the Mine Permit Area. As a consequence, rangeland and wildlife habitat, <br />which is currently the dominant use of land within the permit area, is likely to continue to be the <br />dominant future land use. <br />Neither existing maps, available records, air photo analysis, nor on-site inspection give any indication of <br />previous mining activity in the Seneca II-W Mine Permit Area. <br />Map J/1 of the 1980 Routt County Master Plan indicates the location of "Mineral Resources" and <br />"Growth Centers". Much of the Seneca II-W Mine Permit Area is designated on this map as areas of <br />"Strippable Coal Potential". The "Master Plan" goal pertaining to mineral resource areas states that: <br />Exploration and extraction of minerals should take place prior to any other developments being • <br />constructed that would permanently prevent mineral exploration or extraction unless exploration or <br />extraction of said minerals could cause significant danger to public health and safety, or unless the <br />economic value of the minerals is less than the value of another existing or requested use. <br />Introduction <br />Background: The premining land use survey conducted for the Seneca II-W Mine was originally designed <br />to respond to requirements set forth by the Federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and <br />Enforcement in their Rules and Regulations governing Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation, Section <br />779.22: Land Use Information (Federal Register 44-50: 153561. Initial land use interpretation and field <br />investigations were performed during the summer of 1979. <br />• <br />TR-50 2 Revised 17/04 <br />