2016-07-08_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - M2013040 ‎(4)‎

• Permit No: M2013040
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 7/8/2016
• From: USFS
• To: DRMS
• Email Name: TC1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

�P USDA United States Forest South Park Ranger District 320 Highway 285
�. Department of Service Fairplay,CO 80440
Agriculture 719-836-2031
FAX: [phone]
,.A t.
File Code: 2810
JUL 0 8 2016 Date: July 7, 2016
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION
MINING AND SAFETY Al —2 013 —0 �4O
Dear Interested Party,
I am writing to advise you that the South Park Ranger District of the Pike National Forest is
considering a request by Rich Fretterd and Jean Cowman for approval of a mining Plan of
Operations (MPO) to implement mining activities on National Forest System (NFS) lands near
Lake George. The proposed project is on the Ace-In-The-Hole, Godsend and Richard Cowman
unpatented mining claims in Teller County, Colorado, located appro`xtmMely 4 miles northeast of
Lake George(Exhibit A).
NEPA REVIEW
As part of our National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)review of the project, I am providing
you with a summary description of the proposed activities. Information on how and when to
comment is provided below.
My preliminary assessment of this project is that it meets the criteria of a Forest Service (FS)
categorical exclusion (CE)that applies to a group of similar actions that, in general,do not
individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
The potential CE category is listed in 36 CFR 220.6 (e)(3) as "approval, modification, or
continuation of minor special uses of NFS lands that require less than five contiguous acres of
land. " If the NEPA review finds that there are no extraordinary circumstances that would result
in adverse effects on Forest resources,this proposal may be categorically excluded from further
NEPA review and documentation in an environmental impact statement or environmental
assessment. If the proponent proposes to expand operations or deviate from the proposed MPO,
the impacts of such actions would be evaluated in a future NEPA review.
PROPOSED ACTION
The Fretterd MPO is under consideration for approval because the Forest Service is obligated to
process, administer, and manage mining operations conducted on NFS lands under the
authorities of laws and regulations that confer on the public statutory right to go upon and use
open public domain land. Forest Service regulations at 36 CFR 228 Subpart A—Locatable
Minerals set forth rules and procedures for management of mining-related activity on NFS land
to minimize adverse environmental impacts on surface resources.
The Forest proposes to approve the following mining activities described in the MPO.
Depending on the findings of the NEPA review, the Forest may require the proponent to agree to
additional terms and conditions for resource protection that would supplement the MPO.
Access to Project Area
Caring for the land and Serving People ,anted m Re"cled Paper