2020-06-25_REVISION - C1981035 (35)

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Environmental Assessment the applicant's proposal, a lease modification would ensure that federal coal resources that cannot be mined by any other operation are not bypassed and that maximum economic recovery is achieved. The OSMRE will (1)provide a recommendation to the ASLM to approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove the COC-62920 mining plan modification; (2) approve or disapprove the GCC SMCRA permit application to allow coal mining activities and reclamation activities in the proposed lease modification area; (3) approve or disapprove the permit application to renew the existing SMCRA permit (CO-0106A)for the King II Mine,which was administratively delayed on Apri14, 2017. 1.6 Decisions to be Made Based on the information in this EA,the BLM will decide whether to modify lease COC-62920 as described in the lease modification application submitted by GCC. In compliance with the MLA,the decision to be made is in what manner resource development should occur. The BLM Field or District Manager recommends the lease modification decision,and the Deputy State Director or higher signs the Decision Record. The recommendation may be to: ■ Issue a Decision Record for the lease modification based on the analysis conducted within this EA; ■ Issue a Decision Record for the lease modification,with additional mitigation measures; ■ Analyze the potential effects of the proposed project in an EIS; or ■ Deny the lease modification. Based on the information in this EA,the OSMRE must: ■ Decide whether or not to approve a Permit Revision Application Package consisting of a water monitoring program, Probable Hydrologic Consequences analysis,Right of Entry information, Subsidence Control Plan, and a Reclamation Plan. ■ Decide whether or not to approve an application to renew Federal Mine Permit CO-106A. The permit would reauthorize operations associated with the mining of federal coal from the areas within Federal Coal Lease COC-62920 where the surface of the land is under the ownership of the UMU Tribe,but outside of the UMU Indian Reservation. The OSMRE has administratively delayed its decision on the permit renewal application. ■ Make a recommendation to the ASLM regarding a decision on proposed mining plan modifications. The ASLM must decide whether to: (1)approve; (2) approve with conditions; or (3) deny a mining plan modification to incorporate the lease expansion into SMCRA Permit C- 1981-035. 1.7 Conformance with Applicable Land Use Plan(s) Pursuant to 40 CFR 1502.21, 1508.28, and 1502.20,this site-specific EA tiers to and incorporates by reference the information and analysis contained in the BLM Colorado Southwest District TRFO Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Record of Decision(USDOUBLM 2015a). Overall, coal leasing is in conformance with this RMP. As stated in the RMP, "all TRFO lands made available for lease are DOI-BLM-CO-S010-2011-0074-EA September 2017 -20-