2012-03-07_PERMIT FILE - C2010088 (19)

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1.0 INTRODUCTION The McClane Canyon Coal Loadout Facility is the planned site where coal from the McClane Canyon mine will be trucked, stored, and then loaded into rail cars for transportation and sale. The loadout facility is proposed to be constructed adjacent to and west of the old Fruita Refinery. The project area is located on private lands approximately 2.5 miles west of Fruita, Colorado in Sections 2, 3, 10 and 11, Township 1 North, Range 3 West (Ute Principal Meridian). At the request of J. E. Stover and Associates, Inc., on behalf of Rhino Energy LLC, Wildlife West LLC conducted a fish, wildlife and threatened - endangered /sensitive plant study to fulfill biological information requirements of the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety for site permitting. 1.1 SUMMARY OF PROPOSED ACTION 1.1.1 Load Facility The main feature of the loadout facility will be a railroad spur that will branch off from the Union Pacific main line, which is located adjacent to and directly north of the spur (Figure 1). Coal will be transported from the McClane Canyon Coal Mine by truck, south via Colorado State Highway 139. At the junction of Highway 6 &50 trucks will turn south on 15 Road then turn west off 15 Road to access the loadout site. The turn off 15 Road is about 1,300 feet south of Highway 6 &50. The mine projects 80 truckloads of coal per day over a 20 -hour period, five days per week, and 50 weeks per year. Trucks will unload coal, which will be moved by conveyor belt to a tipple site located in an existing soil remediation site (Land Farm- Figure 1). A second conveyor system will transport coal that will be loaded in rail cars. 1.2 GENERAL BIOLOGICAL STUDY AND SURVEY INFORMATION Biological information analyzed in the preparation of this report was gathered during field surveys and subsequent assessments of wildlife and wildlife habitats within the proposed project area. The purpose of the surveys were to determine the fish and wildlife that occupy or may potentially occupy the project area at varying periods during the year, and species that may potentially be affected because of the proposed action. Factors considered include: 1) soil type and texture; 2) existing land management; 3) absence or presence of wildlife and plant species including raptors, and sensitive migratory birds species; 4) wildlife with special designations by Federal and State wildlife agencies; and 5) threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species. This report provides written documentation that describes survey findings as well as potential impacts and recommendations for mitigation measures. The survey area for biological resources that were evaluated for this report was selected based on topography, the potential for project related effects on biological resources, land ownership and areas potentially selected for project mitigation.