2014-09-12_REVISION - C1996083 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Reasonably foreseeable surface use on the LBA tract includes 35 methane drainage wells (MDW) on 25 MDW pads and four miles of roads resulting in about 45 acres of disturbance. Any or all of the MDW pads and holes will receive site- specific agency review prior to a mine plan approval. Access to the MDWs will be from improved jeep trails or new roads. Surface disturbance will be temporary and will include approximately 25 acres for MDW pads and 20 acres for associated temporary light -use roads. Most effects will be short- terns. RATIONALE: The decision will make additional federal coal reserves available for leasing, and be consistent with BLM management goals and prescriptions for the area. Any lease issued will also include the stipulations identified in the Coal Unsuitability Criteria, and the standard lease terms (BLM Lease Form 3400 -12). All stipulations are consistent with the BLM land use plan. The FS consent letter to BLM dated January 29, 2014, includes conditions to protect surface resources on the NFS lands that are to be included as stipulations on the lease. This decision balances recovery of the coal resource with protection of other resources and resource uses consistent with the applicable laws, regulations, BLM policy and Resource Management Plan goals and objectives, standards and guidelines, and multiple -use decisions. The LBA was submitted under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1975, and 43 CFR 3400. It was reviewed in accordance with the regulations found at 43 CFR 3425. The decision does not include the stipulation for no surface developments within the Y2 mile wide Wild and Scenic River (WSR) study corridor, i.e., '/4 mile on each side of the stream segment (page 49/50 of the EA and page C1 of Appendix Q. Other stipulations in the EA will maintain the free- flowing nature, water quality, and the Outstanding Remarkable Value (ORV) for fish. The analysis in the EA does not demonstrate that the proposed lease or future development would harm the ORV for fish or tentative WSR classification of "scenic." The WSR classification of "scenic" does allow some development within ' /d mile of the segment as long as the "scenic" classification does not degrade to "recreational." Surface development, if any in this area, would consist of one or two vent holes and the associated temporary access route and one -acre drill pad. With appropriate siting and screening these developments would not degrade the segment to "recreational." The decision to allow the Proposed Action does not result in any undue or unnecessary environmental degradation and is in conformance with the 1959 Uncompahgre Basin Resource Management Plan. It has been made in consideration of the impacts to the affected resources. The lease stipulations applied to the Proposed Action will meet or exceed the Standards for Public Land Health. The EA addressed the No Action Alternative, the Proposed Action Alternative, and Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis. 2