2010-05-25_REVISION - C1981008 (3)

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homes. Though residential would be one of the highest and best uses of the land, the present status of the local economy probably precludes any significant residential expansion in the area. There has been limited underground mining activity within the permit area. In addition to the reclaimed New Horizon 1 surface coal mine northwest of the mine area, three underground coal mines adjacent to the permit area were operated by local individuals in the past. The abandoned Independence or Oberding Mine is located about 1,300 feet north of the study area in the NE %.SW %, Section 31 (T47N R1 5W). This mine covers approximately 15 acres underground and operated during the 1920's and 1930's, though there is evidence that some activity occurred as late as the early 1960's. The abandoned Nix Mine is located in the NE%SE %, Section 36 (T47N R16W). This mine operated until about 1926 and covers about seven acres of underground workings. The Tuttle Mine (NW %. SW % Section 31 (T47N R15W) was marked by a waste dump and some discarded mine rail. Period of operation and extent of mining in unknown, but both are presumed to be minor. All three operations mined the lower Dakota seams and appear to have been involved only in local coal sales. The land use within the permit areas is predominantly agriculture using irrigation. Areas of non - irrigated sagebrush rangeland occur as scattered remnants and are used for livestock grazing. Irrigation has allowed for a higher and better land use to be attained than if natural precipitation was relied on for agricultural use. With the latter, only grazing of rangeland by livestock (at low stocking rates) and occasional use of wood products from the pinyon - juniper stands would be attainable. For further background information on land use, the reviewer is directed to Section 2.03 (Legal, Financial, Compliance and Related Information); Section 2.04.4 (Cultural and Historic Resources Information); Section 2.04.9 (Soils Resource Information); Section 2.04.10 (Vegetation Information); and Section 2.04.11 (Fish and Wildlife Resources Information). 6.0 Discussion of Prime Farmlands and Prime Farmland Soils within the Pre -Mine New Horizon Mine Permit Area In early 2008, The Norwood office of the NRCS determined that the Begay, Barx and Darvey soil types (equivalent to the 98A and 98E soils in the permit area west of 2700 Road), met the qualifications of "Prime Farmland soils" as defined by the USDA ( See letter from the NRCS in Attachment 2.04.9 -10). The NRCS, in the letter to Dan Mathews of August 4, 2009, has clarified (Revised Sept os) 2.04.3 -17