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LAND USE <br />The entire surface estate of the proposed modification area is in private ownership, except for a <br />reservation for ditches and canals constructed under the authority of the United States. The coal <br />estate is the only mineral reserved to the United States on all of the proposed modification area <br />except for the E'/ONE'/4 of Section 6. The E'/2NE'/4 of Section 6 has coal and oil and gas reserved <br />to the United States. <br />The proposed modification azea is utilized for livestock grazing. Ronald Crawford, Norris <br />Crawford and Marc Crawford are indicated as the surface owners of the proposed modification <br />area within Sections 6 and 7, and Marshall F. Herrera, et.al. is indicated as the surface owner of <br />the proposed modification azea within Section 8. <br />TRANSPORTATION <br />With a production rate of approximately 300,000 tons per yeaz, there will continue to be an <br />estimated 18 to 28 coal trucks (30 ton trucks) travelling County Road 120 east of the King Coal <br />mine site and Colorado State Highway 140 south of Hay Gulch. <br />SOCIOECONOMICS <br />National King Coal has a strong local hiring policy. Management feels that local people are more <br />• stable and dependable, and therefore, more likely to stay with the mine than imported labor. For <br />these reasons they prefer to train local people to meet their needs. <br />The total employment at the King Coal Mine is currently 37 people. The employment by National <br />King Coal represents 100% of the employment in the underground coal mining sector. <br />Additionally, National King Coal is one of the largest employers in La Plata County. <br />In 1998, the King Coal Mine paid approximately $2,500,000 in salaries to its employees. The <br />King Coal Mine pays substantial amounts in federal, state, and local taxes. In 1998, the company <br />paid approximately $331,794.00 in workmen's compensation, $104,235.00 in federal royalties, <br />$4,445 in private royalties, $42,482.00 in reclamation taxes, $263,271.00 in excise tax for black <br />lung benefits, $49,630.00 in state severance taxes, and $30,167.00 in county property taxes. <br />In addition to the people employed at the mine, various coal-hauling contractors employ an <br />additional equivalent of 28 full-time jobs. The coal buyer pays the freight, which generates an <br />additional $2.8 million annually to "satellite industry" for this provided service. <br />IV. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED ACTI <br />. 9 <br />