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INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM <br />TO. TOM <br />FROM: JANE <br />SUBJECT: FOID <br />DATE: 10/7/. <br />CC: DAN <br />I have researched the question regarding identification of a soil unit in the Peabody Sage Creek Mine <br />(PSCM) application permit boundary area that NRCS District Conservationist located in Steamboat Springs, <br />Colorado has identified as "prime and unique" soil. (E-mail from Lori Jazwick, NRCS to Vern Pfannenstiel, <br />Peabody Energy, dated September 29, 2009). <br />Ms. Jazwick had identified soil unit 50C- Lintim Loam 3-12% slopes as "Prime and Unique" soil for Routt <br />County, Colorado. <br />The Division has previously received documentation from the NRCS district office (formerly Soil <br />Conservation Service) that there is no Prime Farmland in Routt County. I accessed the NRCS Soil Survey <br />website http://websoilsurvey.nres.usda.gov and found that the soil unit in question, 50C, does exist within <br />the proposed permit area. However, the website identifies soil unit 50C, with regards to agricultural <br />significance as "farmland of statewide importance". The 50C soil unit identified within the proposed PSCM <br />permit area encompasses 53.8 acres. It is located outside of the proposed disturbance area. The 50C soil <br />unit is located between rock outcrops and based on aerial photos on the NRCS website, this unit has not been <br />disturbed by farming activity. Based on the NRCS soil survey website, all surrounding soil units in the area <br />are rated as, "not prime farmland". <br />SCCC has not proposed to disturb the 50C-Lintim Loam soil unit, nor is any farming identified as occurring <br />or having occurred historically on this soil unit. SCCC had previously identified this soil unit in the baseline <br />information in the permit application (Section 2.04.12). SCCC provided copies of NRCS (previously known <br />as the Soil Conservation Service) letters stating that there due to cold temperatures and a short growing <br />season that no prime farmland exists in Routt County (Exhibit 2.04.9-E1). the DRMS does not believe that <br />this particular parcel meets the definition of prime farmland. According to 7CFR657, Exhibit 622-1 in the <br />Federal Register, soils that soils with a cryic temperature regime are excluded from being considered prime <br />farmlands. The Lintim loam soils in Routt County are classified as cryic. If the NRCS has other criteria that <br />redefines the soil unit 50c-Lintim Loam 3-12% slope as Prime farmland, the Division requests that the <br />NRCS District Office provide this information to the Division. <br />Rule 2.04.12 states that "Land shall not be considered prime farmland where the applicant can demonstrate <br />one of the following: " <br />(a) The land has not been historically used as cropland. Aerial photography shows that the 50C soil <br />unit-Lintim Loam 3-12% has not been disturbed and exists in its native state.