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I. Introduction <br />The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison National Forest (GMUG) and BLM have identified <br />the need to consider issuing two coal lease modifications for federal coal lands immediately <br />adjacent to exiting federal coal leases COC -1362 and COC -61209 proposed by Mountain Coal <br />Company (MCC). The purpose of the lease modification is to ensure that compliant and super - <br />complaint coal reserves are recovered. <br />The BLM, charged with administration of the mineral estate on these Federal lands, is required, <br />by law, to consider leasing Federally -owned minerals for economic recovery. The USDA -Forest <br />Service (FS), as the surface management agency, considers consenting to the BLM leasing <br />reserves underlying lands under its jurisdiction, and prescribes conditions (as stipulations) for the <br />protection of non -mineral resources. This action considers modifying one existing federal coal <br />lease. Under 43 CFR 3432 (as amended by the Energy Policy Act of 2005), the holder of a <br />federal coal lease may apply to modify a lease by up to 960 acres. The federal agencies are <br />responding to an application to modify an existing lease. <br />The USDI- Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western Regional <br />Coordinating Center will participate as a cooperating agency as it is responsible for oversight of <br />mine plans. <br />II. Consultation History <br />A GMUG National Forest Species List was provided to the Forest in 9 May 2008 (USDI 2008). <br />Dennis Garrison, Paonia District Wildlife Biologist, contacted Kurt Broderdorp, for advice <br />regarding this project prior to project initiation, to discuss lynx habitat mapping issues and <br />possible methods for incorporation of future surface activity on the lease. Consultations on prior <br />coal mining activities in this area have occurred in the past, with the most recent consultation <br />concerning the E -seam and Deer Creek Shaft projects, with a letter of concurrence obtained from <br />FWS on 2 August, 2007 (USFWS 2007). <br />III. Proposed Action <br />The proposed action is to modify MCC's existing federal coal leases COC -1362 and COC -61209 <br />by adding 800 and 921 additional acres (respectively) to ensure that compliant and super - <br />complaint coal reserves are recovered and are not bypassed. <br />Sunset Lease Modification Biological Assessment <br />