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for the Colorado Squawfish, Razorback sucker, Humpback chub, and Bonytail chub. These <br />species, on the Federal and State candidate and listed species, have the potential of occurring on <br />the study area or could be affected by a lease and subsequent coal development. None of the <br />fishes occur on the study area or in the North Fork of the Gunnison River. <br />The Colorado Division of Wildlife has established a corridor along the North Fork of the <br />Gunnison River for use by the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), which is a common winter <br />visitor to Colorado. BLM inventories conducted in 1978 through 1980, and monitoring flights <br />conducted through 1985, did not locate any roost or nest sites, or areas of winter concentration on <br />or near the study area. The possibility exists for nesting to occur along the North Fork of the <br />Gunnison River. <br />Loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus, a Federal category 2 species), use has not been recorded <br />on the study area, although potential breeding and nesting habitat is present. Loggerhead shrikes <br />are dependent upon sagebrush and gambel oak shrub communities for breeding and nesting <br />habitat in this region during spring and summer. They are uncommon in the area during winter. <br />For specific information regarding study areas, methods for identification and counting of the <br />various wildlife present in the area, see Section 2.04.11 of the permit document. <br />Additional information on fish and wildlife in the PR-14 project area is contained in the copy of <br />the Federal Environmental Impact Statement for the Deer Creek Shaft and E Seam Methane <br />Drainage Wells Project which can be found in Exhibit 79 of the permit application. <br />Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan - Rule 2.05.3 and 2.05.4 <br />Mining at the West Elk underground mine began in 1982. The West Elk Mine leasehold consists <br />of mineable coal reserves in six Federal coal leases, one private lease and other fee coal <br />properties. The mine permit area encompasses approximately 17,155 acres. Current coal <br />production ranges between 6.5 and 7 million tons per year using the longwall mining method. <br />Six major coal seams exist on the West Elk Mine property. The seams are identified by the <br />letters A through F, in ascending stratigraphic order. The seams are separated by shale, siltstone, <br />and sandstone beds that vary in thickness from 15 feet to more than 250 feet. MCC's leasehold <br />has economically minable coal reserves in two of the seams, the B Seam and the E Seam. <br />Mining was by room-and-pillar methods until 1990 when longwall mining began in the B Seam. <br />The mine plan for the B Seam is shown on Map 52 of the permit application. MCC has <br />completed mining in the B Seam in the following four leases: D-044569, COC-54558, COC- <br />0117192, and C-1362. As of early 2008, MCC was longwall mining the B Seam in the Box <br />Canyon portion of lease COC-56447 (approved in PR-08) and maintains active development <br />entries in a fee lease area in Sylvester Gulch in Section 15-T13S-R90W (approved in TR-107). <br />B Seam mining has previously been approved for COC-67011 (PR-11), located in the West <br />Flatiron area. There are B Seam mineable reserves in a portion of C-0117192 where the F Seam <br />is mined out. <br />15