2020-06-24_REVISION - C1981035 (2)

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Submission# Organization/Agency Name Commenter Type Comment Comment Response 15 004 Marie Venner Individuals The Southern Ute Indian Tribe expressed concern for impacts on properties of religious and As part of the Section 106 process,BLM is conducting government to government consultation with tribes. cultural importance to the tribe.These are not resolved and the statement that consultation No concerns from the Southern Ute Tribe were received by the agencies is ongoing should not be taken as adequate to allow the Proposed Action. 16 004 Marie Venner Individuals Noise is inadequately analyzed,Noise effects are significant and bothersome to residents. The environmental baseline condition and anticipated impacts to noise on Taal residents and wildlife are detailed in Section 3.4.4.The BLM's and OSMRE's evaluation of noise impacts included the past and current implementation of design features to reduce noise(detailed in Section 3.4.4).Overall,it was determined that following GCC's implementation of noise mitigation that noise impacts would be negligible to minor,lasting for the duration of mininq activities at the King II mine. 17 004 Marie Venner Individuals No impact of noise and movement on other species has been analyzed See response Line 16.Additionally,noise and movement impacts to wildlife species were analyzed in the 2017 Lease Modification EA,which has been incorporated by reference into this EA. 18 004 Marie Venner Individuals The EA fails to assess impacts on the numerous another bird species,including 29 species Wildlife impacts,including Partner in Flight species,were discussed in the 2017 Lease Modification EA listed as Colorado Partner in Flight priority species(BLM and OSMRE 2017).I disagree (Section 3.8).As coal would continue to be mined and transported as analyzed in that document,that that the Proposed Action would have negligible to minor impacts to species.The traffic analysis was incorporated by reference into this EA.The commenter provides no new information w data iw noise and movement disruption of habitat effects on species with these 140 truck trips a day analysis in the EA. rs not to have been taken into account. 19 005 Christine Caldwell Individuals My husbadd antl are very much opposed to the expansion of the King Coal Dunn Ranch Comment noted. Area coal mine. 20 006 Naomi Dobbs Individuals GCC must continue monitoring water quality and the OSMRE must continue to in GCC is committed to monitoring water quality and has established a network of monitoring wells in all current and accurate well monitoring data emanating from GCC available online and in a aquifers,as stated in the EA(Section 3.4.2).All monitoring data will be supplied to OSMRE and the BLM as straightforward manner easyfor the public to access and download as needed stated in the EA and required by both agencies.GCC posts downloatlable well monitoring data on their website at:htt://wow.cc .net/water monitoring esults.h 21 006 Naomi Dobbs Individuals GCC,on its own website for both the company and the Taal Hesperus mining operation, Results for groundwater monitoring are currently available on GCC's website must provide a prominent link to the OSMRE's website which provides the well monitoring (http://wi✓va.gccenergy.net/water monitorirg_results.php).Data is submitted to Colorado Division of information. Reclamation,Mini antl Safe a wired b Cdoratlo r ulatiom. 22 006 Naomi Dobbs Individuals GCC may also voluntarily provitle the same OSMRE well impact data housed on their own See response Line 21. website for more direct access to the information,in atltlition to the required link. 23 006 Naomi Dobbs Individuals So long as the La Plata County government(Community Development Services)retains a See response Line 21.Data used by GCCE,OSMRE,and the La Plata County is the same data as s repository or Internet access for information specific to GCC,the link to OSMRE's water displayed on GCC's website in onitorin data must also be displayed in r neht fashion. 24 007 James Threatlgill Individuals ..My first comment is to request a postponemlent of any decisionuntil all affected parties BLM and OSMRE properly and timely notified the public of the proposed project and the availability of the of this request are officially notified of the GCC request and given a proper amount of time preliminary EA for public comment.At the start of the public comment period,July 5,2019,253 letters were to review the findings of the EA. sent by BLM and OSMRE to landowners,individuals and organizations and 32 letters were also sent to Native American Tribes notifying them of the proposed project,the availability of the preliminary EA for ent an the dates for that comment period,and how to submit comments.Legal Notices were published in the Durangc Herald on July 10 and July 17 announcing the availability of the EA for public commant and the comment period,and notifying the public of the date,time and location of the public hearing held on July 24.All public notification documents identified that comments could be submitted via BLM's planning website or by postal mail.Two public meetings were held jointly by BLM and OSMRE for the proposed project,the first on July 24 at the BLM Tres Rios Field Office and the second on August 1 at the Breen Community Center,Hesperus,CO.The public comment period was 32 days.Based on the public c.mments received,the agencies will tletermine if there are any changes needed to the EA and proceed to make their res ective decisiom on the r osed r ct. 25 007 James Threatlgill Individuals It would be helpful to require the mine company to turn over the[groundwater well]test See response Line 21.All licensed analytical labs are required to run lab blanks along with samples results to independent labs for analysis and reporting on the findings.For the safety of my provided by clients to ensure the quality of their analytical work.These analytical labs are also evaluated for family and others in the vicinity we need to know and understand the ramifications of compliance with state analytical standards and methodology on a regular basis.A second or independent changes in water quality.These deta need to be any to find and understand and please lab is not necessary because GCC uses state licensed analytical labs. make this a rt of an tlecision r aNin this re west. 26 007 James Threatlgill Individuals This action will last for the next 20+years antl requires a major analysis of the present and Information on transportation presented in the previous EAs has not changed and is still applicable. future impacts on transportation and a mitigation plan that is in Tine with the magnitude of Additionally,as the Proposed Action under review in this document is a continuation of the previous 2017 these impacts. action,impacts previously described would be similar over an extended period of time.The amount of traffic is limited through the Class II Land Use Permit issued by La Plata County and a Road Improvements Agreement(RIA)that would continue through 2043.Therefore,no additional impacts are anticipated since impacts would continue.Also,the RIA is a mitigation plan that was developed to mitigate the impacts from mine trSk Please see section 2.1.7 of the 2017 Lease Modification EA. 27 007 James Threatlgill Individuals For example,why hasn't it been considered to require GCC mine to build a private The construction of new dedicatad he roads was considered as part ofthe 2017 EA process.Ten potential transportation route from the mine to the rail hub9 transportation alternatives were identified through scoping and/or a Traffic Impact Assessment(TIA) prepared for the King II Mine,including three that involved constructing new,dedicated haul roads,and yiaided four alternatives for initial screening through the NEPA process.One of those alternatives considered constructingwas a new northbound haul roatl.It was eliminated from detailed study because constructing a new dedicated haul road was determined to be economically and logistically infeasible,and the mental impacts woultl be greer than the transportation proposed in the 2017 EA.The 2017 EA has been inco rated by reference into at this EA. 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