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II. BACKGROUND ON THE ARCO MINE PROJECT ARCO Coal Company (ARCO), a Division of Atlantic Richfield Company, intends to build and operate a .250 million ton per year coal mine on its Mt. Gunnison property near Somerset, Colorado. The mine will have drift access, with the raw coal passing from portal to breaker to an off-track silo to a loadout via a conveyor belt system. The surface facilities and mine portal for the initial .250 million ton per year mine will actually be designed and constructed as a 1.4 million ton per year mine with the exception of silo capacity. Ul- timately, the mine will be expanded to a production of 2.8 million ton per year. ' After the access road is built on the site, construction oY the mine portal, coal handling and support facilities will begin. A drainage system complete with ditches, pipes and ' sedimentation ponds will be built in compliance with the Federal Office of Surface Mining Regulations. The initial office and chagehouse structures will be temporary trailers until the mine begins to expand to 1.4 million tons per year. At that time, additional belts, silos, ponds and permanent buildings will be built. A small, permanent and expandable shop/warehouse will be installed as part o[ the .250 million ton per year mine. An 8,000 ton silo, separate from a preweight loadout system built on a 30-car siding, will be used. Topsoil and waste rock will be removed and stored in separate areas according to the ' Office of Surface Mining regulations. A possible coal preparation plant may be constructed at a later date. Security will be provided by such measures as Pencing and a guardhouse. Afire protection system, complete with s water tank, pipelines, hoses, sprays and extinguishers will be provided for ell buildings and structures. Mine supplies will be stored in the warehouse ' and supply yard. Fresh water will be pumped from the river and stored in a pond. This water will then be treated as required and pumped directly into the mine, with potable water being stored in a tank. Sewage will be processed in a package treament plant. Drainage water will be collected and processed in runoff water ponds. Power will be supplied via a tap line from the Delta-Montrose Electric Association's existing 44kV trans- mission line which crosses the plant site. Voltage will be stepped down at a substation. 1 III. SITE DATA ' A. General The proposed site oP the Mt. Gunnison Project is located in Gunnison County, Range 90 West, Township 13 South, Sections 9 and lfi, approximately one (1) mile east of ' Somerset, Colorado. The terrain is mountainous and dissected by steep, V-shaped valleys. Elevations at ' the plant site range from approximately 6,000 feet at the river to 6,500 feet at the portal Slopes range from 0 to 60%. The general geology of the area consists of gently north-north-east dipping beds of sandstone, shale and coal. The soils in the ' area are generally shallow, loamy to clayey. Several slides and slumps have been identified on the property, but no known faulting exists. Refer to soils investigation reports and landslide study for further information. unstable areas will be dewatered prior to any construction activities in those areas. 1