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recognized and maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, lies within the proposed exploration area. <br />Remnant roads, originally constructed for exploration drilling access, occur in the area. User <br />created ATV trails and jeep trails also exist. Game trails exist and it is a known elk winter range. <br />Coal mining has a long history in the North Fork Valley. Mountain Coal Company has an <br />underground longwall operation north of the proposed exploration area which has been a viable <br />mine since 1981. Currently there are three other mines in the North Fork Valley, which include <br />the Elk Creek Mine, operated by Oxbow Mining, LLC, and the Bowie No. 2 and 3 Mines <br />operated by Bowie Resources, LLC. Other mines that have existed in the valley include Bear <br />Mine Nos. 1, 2, and 3; Oliver Mine Nos. 1, 2, and 3; Hawks Nest Mine, Orchard Valley Mine, <br />Sanborn Creek Mine, the Somerset Mine, and the Edwards Mine. <br />Cultural Resources <br />Multiple cultural resource inventories have been conducted on the Dry Fork Exploration Area <br />over the past 20 years. The most recent were Alpine Archeological Class II surveys and Class III <br />surveys completed during 2007 and 2008. No cultural resources were identified in those <br />investigations. The reports are included as Attachment 5. Clearance surveys of the five Lions <br />Mesa sites will be conducted during the spring of 2009 and results provided to the Division. <br />Proposed Access Routes <br />The Dry Fork Exploration Area is accessed by the existing Gunnison County Road 710 to the <br />USFS classified system Road 711 which follows the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek drainage. This <br />road is also known as the Hammond Trail or Dry Fork Road. In the project area, the road follows <br />the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek in southeasterly direction before encountering the Deep Creek <br />Crossing. The exploration activities will utilize Road 711 and the spurs 711-2C to the proposed <br />sites and 711-2A to Lions Mesa. Refer to Map 1 for road identification. <br />USFS 711 has been maintained by MCC as an access road to exploration drill holes and MDW <br />sites over the previous decade. Upgrades and improvements to the road include gravel, culverts, <br />ditches, gates, and drainage control structures. MCC has been conducting road maintenance on <br />USFS 711 between County Road 710 and the Deep Creek Shaft site for the Monument Dam <br />work and shaft construction. Additional road maintenance has been performed in conjunction <br />with 2005 and 2006 exploration drilling activities and the 2008 MDW drilling. <br />A stream-channel diversion for drill holes next to ephemeral streams will not be necessary. Dry <br />Fork is the primary ephemeral drainage in the area and, with the exception of Site 2009-D, will <br />not be affected. Site 2009-D (1974 site SOM-66) will require temporary exploration road <br />crossing with the employment of a temporary culvert. The crossing and temporary use will be <br />constructed in compliance with DRMS Rule 4.05.18(1)(c). <br />Proposed exploration hole 2009-A is located in the SW quarter of Section 34, and would utilize <br />the same pad site as MDW E4-35. Access is from USFS 711 to USFS 711-2C. <br />Proposed exploration hole 2009-13, also located in the SW quarter of section 34, would use the <br />same route from USFS Road 711 to 711-2C. The site is the same as MDW E4-38.5. <br />5