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West Elk Mine <br />2.04.12 Prime Farmland Information <br />The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) has reviewed its soil survey information in Mazch and <br />November 2004, covering the azea to be affected by the surface facilities at the West EIk Mine. <br />They have determined that no prime farmlands exist on the affected area (Exhibit 39). <br />To determine the presence of prime familand in the Box Canyon tract, the Soi] Conservation <br />Service office in Delta, Colorado was contacted. SCS staff reviewed the soil survey information <br />and maps for Sections 10, 11, 12, and 15 of the Box Canyon tract and concluded that there aze no <br />soils (soil map units) which would be classified as prime farmland (Waggoner, 1994). <br />Soils in the remaining area of the Box Canyon tract (Sections 14, 22, 23, and 26} have not been <br />mapped by the SCS, as these are National Forest lands under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest <br />Service. The Forest Service is currently conducting a soil survey of the National Forest lands <br />(Hughes, 1994). Information from the draft soil survey indicates that there aze no prime farmland <br />soil map units found in these azeas of the Box Canyon tract (Hughes, 1995). <br />A prime farmland investigation was conducted for the Refuse Pile Expansion (RPE) azea in 1996. <br />A letter was sent to the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS, formerly Soil Conservation <br />Service) in Montrose, Colorado requesting whether the soil series identified in the RPE azea have <br />been designated as prime farmland. The NRCS replied that the lands are suitable for either pasture <br />and hayland production or rangeland, or for other purposes such as recreation. These lands are not <br />suitable for cropland production and not considered to be prime farmlands. The NRCS <br />correspondence is contained in Exhibit 70, Appendix M. <br />Much of the South of Divide permit revision area encompasses National Forest lands under the <br />jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. In order to determine whether or not the proposed E Seam <br />development and mining activities in the South of Divide area would potentially impact prime <br />farmland, as defined by Rule 1.04(95), MCC contacted both the NRCS and USFS in March and <br />November 2004. Their review of available soil mapping and land use information relative to the <br />prime farmland definition and criteria indicates that no prime farmland areas exist within the South <br />of Divide azea (refer to prime farmland det~***+ination letters included in Exhibit 39). <br />Pursuant to CDMG Rule 2.04.12(3), MCC requests a negative detemunation for the presence of <br />prime farmland on the lands to be affected, based on the absence of prime farmland soil map units <br />on soil surveys conducted by the SCS and U.S. Forest Service. <br />References for Rule 2.04 <br />Altman, B., and R. Sallabanks, 2000. Olive-sided flycatcher (Contopus cooperi). In The birds of <br />North America, No. 502 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, <br />Philadelphia, Pennsylvania., and the American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. <br />Andrews, R. and R. Righter, 1992. Colorado birds: A reference to their distribution. and habitat. <br />Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver, Colorado. 442 pages. <br />2.04-181 Revised November 1004 PRIO <br />