Laserfiche WebLink
<br />The proposed NHN mining and operations area is divided into four separate parcels, with three <br />individual landowners. The two southern parcels, owned by Garvey, comprise 160 acres (W ½ <br />and E ½ of the SW ¼ Section 25). To the north of Garvey is the 80-acre Meehan parcel (S ½ <br />NW ¼ Section 25). The northernmost parcel (N ½ NW ¼ Section 25), also 80 acres in size, is <br />owned by Glasier. <br /> <br />The Garvey property is dominated by Grazingland – Reclamation across its southern extent. <br />This area was mined and reclaimed to Dryland Pasture by Peabody / WFC; there are some minor <br />inclusions of Subirrigated land, where irrigation water has been allowed to flow across the <br />surface. At Garvey’s northeast corner, lies an area of Grazingland – Sagebrush. The contour of <br />this site lies above the elevation of the Second Park Lateral of the CCC Ditch, with the result that <br />the area has never been irrigated. The northwestern portion of the Garvey property consists <br />largely of the Intensively Managed Irrigated Pasture land use, and some Irrigated Pasture. <br /> <br />The Meehan property is bisected by “Meehan Draw”, which flows from east to west across the <br />property. South of Meehan Draw, the majority of the area falls within the Irrigated Pasture land <br />use category, due to its proximity to the Second Park Lateral Ditch located uphill to the south. <br />Meehan’s land to the north of the Draw has not been improved, and is classified as Grazingland <br />– Sagebrush. Land use within Meehan Draw is classified as Grazingland – Subirrigated. <br /> <br />The Glasier property has a blend of land uses: Irrigated Pasture in the northwest, Dryland <br />Pasture (where older irrigation structures have not been recently used and are in disrepair) in the <br />center, and Grazingland – Sagebrush in the west. The “Glasier Draw” drainage, identified as <br />Grazingland – Subirrigated, crosses the northwest corner of the property, and will not be <br />disturbed by mining operations. <br /> <br />WFC owns the property upon which the equipment corridor will be developed. To the south of <br />Tuttle Draw, the land is undisturbed, and covered with mature Big Sagebrush. The segment <br />crossing Tuttle Draw would be characterized as Subirrigated. The corridor route climbs <br />northward up onto reclaimed spoil from the Navajo / Nucla Mine for the remainder of its length. <br /> <br />Cultural and Historic Resources – Section 2.04.4 of the permit <br /> <br />Lands in the vicinity of the proposed New Horizon North Mine have previously been the subject <br />of at least three formal cultural resource investigations, which are illustrated on Map 2.04.4 of <br />the application. In 1979, the southern portion of the permit area was surveyed for the initial <br />permitting of Peabody’s Nucla Mine. A second survey was conducted in 1984 for a series of <br />coal exploration drill holes. History Colorado records indicate that a third survey was conducted <br />in 1985, for exploration holes located within and to the east of the proposed permit area. The <br />majority (approximately 80%) of the surface within the permit area has been previously <br />disturbed by either coal mining or agricultural development. An additional 9% is dominated by <br />wetlands. The State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) determined that a finding of “no <br />historic properties affected” was appropriate for the proposed activities. <br /> <br />Geology and Topography – Sections 2.04.5 and 2.04.6 of the permit <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />6 <br /> <br />