2018-05-30_PERMIT FILE - X201823602

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6. The degree to which the action may establish a precedent for future actions with significant effects or represents a decision in principle about a future consideration. Reasonably foreseeable actions connected to a decision to issue the exploration license have been considered. The rights and obligations associated with the issuance of a coal exploration license are a conspicuous aspect of such actions. The BLM's decision to issue an exploration license would not preclude the BLM from granting or denying any future activities, including applications for a lease modification or a lease to develop any coal resources within the project area. 7. Whether the action is related to other actions with individually insignificant but cumulatively significant impacts — which include connected actions regardless of land ownership. An interdisciplinary team of resource specialists evaluated the exploration license application in the context of past, present and reasonably foreseeable actions. Significant cumulative effects are not predicted. A complete disclosure of the potential effects from the proposed action is contained in Chapter 4 of the EA. 8. The degree to which the action may adversely affect districts, sites, highways, structures, or other objects listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or may cause loss or destruction of significant scientific, cultural, or historical resources. The project will not adversely affect districts, sites, highways, structures, or other objects listed in or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, nor will it cause loss or destruction of significant scientific, cultural, or historical resources. Areas of disturbance with a 100 -foot buffer were inventoried for the presence of cultural resources. Drill locations and overland travel routes were then selected and routed to avoid cultural resources. It has been determined that no historic properties will be affected. Consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has been completed in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). 9. The degree to which the action may adversely affect an endangered or threatened species or its habitat that has been determined to be critical under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, or the degree to which the action may adversely affect: 1) a proposed to be listed endangered or threatened species or its habitat, or 2) a species on BLM's sensitive species list. Mitigating measures to reduce impacts to wildlife and fisheries have been incorporated into the design features for the proposed action. Although suitable, but unoccupied Mexican spotted owl (MSO) habitat is present within the project area, it has been determined that neither MSO nor its habitat will be affected by the project because project activities would be avoided during the MSO breeding period (March 15 through August 31) and none of the project activities would affect suitable MSO habitat. No other threatened or endangered plants or animal species are known to occur or have habitat within the project area. 10. Whether the action threatens a violation of a federal, state, local, or tribal law, regulation or policy imposed for the protection of the environment, where non- federal requirements are consistent with federal requirements. The project does not violate any known federal, state, local or tribal law or requirement imposed for the protection of the environment. The EA documents the conformance of the proposed action with the applicable BLM land use plan. State, local, and tribal interests were given 3