Laserfiche WebLink
identified, although possible migration through the area by the Peregrine Falcon may <br />exist. <br />Mammals that can be found in the area are the mule deer, elk, bobcat, mountain lion, <br />coyote, gray and red fox, badger, striped skunk, long-tailed weasel, beaver and <br />cottontail rabbit. Aviarians include the golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged <br />hawk, sparrow hawk, turkey vulture, scaled quail, turkey, pigeon, mourning dove, raven, <br />magpie, crow and pinion jay. <br />No aquatic species exist due to the ephemeral nature of the streams in the area. <br />Land Use <br />Prior to the Southfield mining operation, the land uses for the permitted area were <br />grazing and historic mining. Both the loadout and mine area were limited to rangeland <br />and wildlife habitat. Land use and productivity of the Southfield mine and loadout areas <br />are limited by the relatively and climate, limited water availability, poorly developed <br />soils, and various socioeconomic factors. <br />Upon completion of mining and related activities, EFCI will return the disturbed areas to <br />the prevailing land uses of rangeland and wildlife habitat, which existed prior to <br />development. <br />Further information on land use can be found in Section 2.04.3 of the permit <br />application. <br />Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plan <br />Energy Fuels Coal, Inc. actively mined the Southfield Mine until it went into temporary <br />cessation on 18 December 2000. In a letter dated 30 May 2001, EFCI provided further <br />detail of its temporary cessation, pursuant to Rule 4.30.1(2). The mine has been <br />reclaimed and the surface facility areas have undergone a Phase I Bond Release (SL- <br />02). All environmental monitoring activities will continue until final bond release. <br />Description of both the operation and reclamation plan can be found in Section 2.05.3 <br />of Volume 1 and Section 2.05.4 of Volume 2 respectively, in the permit application. A <br />brief description of each follows. <br />Operation Plan <br />Coal was mined, washed, stockpiled and then trucked from the mine site to market. <br />Coal mine waste was disposed of in a permitted refuse pile located at the mine site. <br />The refuse pile has been covered with a minimum of four feet of nontoxic, <br />noncombustible material and topsoil and has been reseeded. <br />Coal was mined by the room and pillar method, using continuous miners. Coal was <br />transported from the working sections of the mine to the surface by a belt conveyor, <br />and then dumped in a raw coal stockpile. Raw coal was sized, crushed and cleaned by <br />gravity separation in a preparation plant at the mine site. A belt press was then used to <br />Page 9 of 36