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the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), and the Minerals <br />Management Service (MMS). <br />The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) has agreed to cooperate in <br />preparing this EA. OSM has jurisdiction in recommending approval of any mining plan <br />modifications related to Federal lands and issuing any coal mining permits related to Indian <br />lands that might result from BLM's leasing decision. <br />The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) gives OSM primary <br />responsibility to administer programs that regulate surface coal mining operations on federal <br />and Indian lands and the surface effects of underground coal mining operations on federal and <br />Indian lands. Pursuant to Section 503 of SMCRA, the Colorado Division of Minerals and <br />Geology (DMG) developed, and the Secretary of the Interior approved, a permanent program <br />authorizing Colorado DMG to regulate surface coal mining operations and surface effects of <br />underground coal mining on non-federal and non -Indian lands within the State of Colorado. In <br />September 1982, pursuant to Section 523 (c) of SMCRA, Colorado DMG entered into a <br />cooperative agreement with the Secretary of the Interior authorizing Colorado DMG to regulate <br />surface coal mining operations and surface effects of underground mining on federal lands <br />within the state. OSM retained the authority to regulate surface coal mining operations and <br />the surface effects of underground mining on Indian lands within the State. <br />Pursuant to the cooperative agreement, federal coal lease holders in Colorado must submit <br />permit application packages to OSM and Colorado DMG for proposed mining and reclamation <br />operations on federal lands in the State. <br />Colorado DMG reviews the packages to ensure that the permit application complies with the <br />permitting requirements and that the coal mining operation will meet the approved permanent <br />program's performance standards. OSM reviews the package to ensure that the coal mining <br />operation will meet the Federal Indian program performance standards. If it does comply, <br />Colorado DMG issues the lessee a permit to conduct coal mining operations on the federal <br />I <br />