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designated Prime Farmland. Approximately 3.52 acres of Begay Soil (Map Unit 98A) occurs <br />within a contiguous unit within the northwest corner of the expanded permit area; this parcel has <br />also been designated Prime Farmland, based on NRCS criteria. Small areas of mapping units <br />98E and 98A occur north of BB Road and West of 2700 Road in various scattered locations, but <br />these small scattered parcels are not considered Prime Farmland because historically, these areas <br />were not managed as cropland and lacked sufficient water for proper irrigation. No lands located <br />to the east of 2700 Road are considered Prime Farmland, based on determinations that were in <br />effect at the time the lands were mined and reclaimed. Portions of the Monierco unit are <br />developed for irrigated pastureland, while other portions of the unit support native sagebrush <br />rangeland. Other map units from which soil salvage will occur within the area include <br />Haplargids-Endoaquepts Association, which occurs primarily along artificially subirrigated <br />drainage swales, and several upland soil types which support native sagebrush rangeland. <br />Vegetation, Wildlife and Land Use <br />Six general vegetation types are found on the New Horizon Mine 2 area: irrigated pasture, <br />irrigated hay land, irrigated cropland (small grains), swale/drainage, sagebrush/grass, and various <br />miscellaneous types related to old farmsteads, abandoned orchards, and disturbed areas. The <br />Mine 2 area is intensively developed for agricultural uses, including substantial acreage of <br />irrigated hay cropland and irrigated pastureland. There are smaller acreages of sagebrush/grass <br />type, swale drainages, and various miscellaneous cover types interspersed among the developed <br />agricultural lands. <br />Irrigated agriculture supporting livestock pasture and hayland is the dominant land use. Other <br />land uses such as grazing of sagebrush habitats and -wildlife use are largely incidental to <br />management associated with the irrigated lands. <br />The area surrounding the New Horizon Mine permit is used by a large variety of wildlife <br />including coyotes, fox, mule deer, elk (in the winter) and numerous bird species. <br />Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan <br />New Horizon Mine I <br />The presently permitted New Horizon Mine 1 mine block encompasses 98.62 acres. The entire <br />acreage has been fully reclaimed but has not yet been approved for final bond release. The <br />originally permitted Mine 1 block encompassed a significantly larger area, but the remainder of <br />the original permit block has been fully released from liability. <br />New Horizon Mine 2 <br />In February 1993, Western Fuels of Colorado commenced surface mining operations at the New <br />Horizon Mine 2 block. The annual production is approximately 400,000 tons per year. At this <br />time, active mining and reclamation activities are concurrent. Topsoil salvaging depths and <br />plans are detailed in section 2.04.9 and 2.05.4(2)(d) of the permit application. Actual topsoil <br />15