Las Animas - Bent County Library District

While the potential economic and environmental benefits of CMM generated electricity are recognizable, an uncertain energy market and declining coal production impedes project development. Moreover, legal regulatory, and technical challenges make CMM project business risks and commercial feasibility difficult to assess, particularly at active mines where production can be highly variable.

The geology and coal beds outcrops of the Fruitland Formation and surrounding Upper Cretaceous strata were mapped by the CGS in 2008. This digital publication of the map at 1:24,000-scale and accompanying 1:12,000-scale detailed plates show accurate locations for Fruitland coal beds on the surface in western Archuleta County. The map covers 23 miles of outcrop on mostly Federal land managed by the USFS.