2010-12-09_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1982057

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Vegetation in the vicinity of the mine is characterized by three vegetative types; mixed brush, sagebrush grassland, and aspen. Aspen forest is the dominant vegetation type within the Wolf Creek/Sage Creek mine block disturbance area. Land use in the mine area is undeveloped rangeland, with a small area classified as industrial due to an oil well site. Because of livestock grazing, shrubs have increased in density while forbs and grasses have decreased. Vegetation in the vicinity of the tie-across haul road is characterized by four vegetative types: low sagebrush, meadow, cropland, and greasewood. Land use in this area is non-irrigated cropland, industrial and rangeland. The non-irrigated cropland is used primarily for winter wheat production. The designated industrial area classification is the permitted Hayden Gulch Mine Loadout:. Fish and Wildlife Numerous wildlife species inhabit the general area of the mine site and tie-across haul road. The most predominant big game species are elk and mule deer. Pronghorn antelope frequent the vicinity of the tie-across haul road. Common raptors are golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, great horned owl, marsh hawk and American kestrel. Use by greater sand hill cranes occurs in the area of the tie-across haul road with an active staging area for these birds located approximately 0.75 miles north of the road. Cultural and Historic Resources The applicant conducted a number of site-specific literature searches and archeological surveys of the permit area between 1979 and 1990. SCC has completed archaeological surveys of all currently permitted and proposed areas associated with the extension. During these cultural resource inventories, 10 sites and 5 isolated finds were identified. Of these only 2 were considered significant; one rock art site with adjacent fire-rock and one potential large camp site. The camp site will not be disturbed and appropriate mitigation measures have been proposed for the rock art/fire-rock sites. Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plan The Seneca II-W Mine is a surface mine operation. The mine was a dip-slope, area strip mine utilizing conventional dragline mining methods. In addition, auger mining has been employed in certain locations. The Seneca II-W permit boundary encompasses two geographically separated areas; the mine area permit boundary and the tie-across haul road permit boundary. The mine area permit boundary includes three separate areas (North Block, South Block, and South Extension) and associated facilities. The north and south blocks comprise the "original mine permit area", while the South Extension was a permit area expansion approved within PR-2. Mining was completed and coal extraction at Seneca II-W ceased in early January 2006. The final areas mined were the Wolf Creek and Sage Creek seams in the South Extension Area; mining had been completed in the original permit area several years previously. Seneca II-W Findings Document 12 C1982057 Permit Renewal No. 5 December 9, 2010