2.0 FACILITY LOCATION AND ACCESS
2.1
LAND OWNERSHIP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION
The Upton Plant Site is located in north-central Weston County, northeastern Wyoming. The
property is located 2 road miles (3.22 kilometers - km) northwest of the town of Upton, Wyoming
and approximately 22 air miles (35.41 km) or 40 road miles (64.37 km) southwest of the town of
Sundance, Wyoming. The Upton Site includes portions of Sections 28, 29, and 32 and all of
Section 33, Township 48 North, Range 65 West.
The Upton Site will be located entirely on private lands; however, a small portion may be located
within the Upton Regional Industrial Park on the northeastern corner. Weston County
Development Board’s 600-acre industrial park serves as a rail transloading site for materials to
be distributed across the Powder River Basin. Transloading means railroad freight cars are off-
loaded at the site and their contents distributed by trucks. The Upton Regional Industrial Park is
served by a transportation nexus that includes the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, U.S.
Highway 16, and Interstate 90 at Moorcroft. Currently, twelve industries are located at the
industrial park including a biofuels plant, transloaders of fertilizer and hydrochloric acid, a
cement distribution plant, and a tire recycling facility.
2.2
CLIMATE AND AIR QUALITY
The Upton climate is more moderate than the Bull Hill Mine site area and has a weather station
within the city limits. The following data summarizes the Upton weather:
•
Average annual air temperature is 43.6°F.
•
Daily low temperature (January) is 6°F.
•
Daily high temperature (July/August) is 89°F.
•
Average annual precipitation is 14.9 inches.
•
Highest average precipitation is 2.5 inches in May
•
Highest average seasonal snowfall is 9.2 inches in March.
•
Average wind speed is 11.3 miles per hour (mph), highest 13 mph (April).
2.3
LAND DISTURBANCE
The Upton Plant Site will be located within a WDEQ-LQD Permit Area which totals 856 acres.
Disturbance for the Hydromet Plant is estimated to be 29.87 acres and disturbance for the TSF
is estimated to be 258.3 acres for a total of approximately 288 acres.
2.4
ACCESS
The plant will be accessed by one entrance from Buffalo Creek Road. The truck access will
have a gate and be controlled by a guard post. This access road will be used solely for the
chemical and supply deliveries as well as pre-concentrate transport trucks, and will be equipped
with a pre-concentrate unloading station (see Map A-1). Additional access from the entrance will
lead to a parking area for employees and visitors.
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