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Environmental Assessment <br /> expressly interested parties including federal, state, and local agencies. In total,21 scoping letters were <br /> sent,and eight scoping response letters/emails were received by the BLM. The TRFO sent 31 letters to <br /> regional tribes with recognized affiliation to the project area in November 2012. One response from the <br /> Hopi was received that provided recommendations on TRFO actions if cultural resources were <br /> encountered during implementation of the Proposed Action. Issues identified through public scoping <br /> completed by the BLM are summarized in Table 1-2. <br /> Table 1-2.Bureau of Land Management external scoping summary <br /> Commenter Issues Identified <br /> Connolly, Marjorie "Additional mining is incompatible with surrounding land use." <br /> Montezuma County Board Noted the importance of mineral resources in the regional economy <br /> of County Commissioners including federal minerals managed by the BLM. The mine has a positive <br /> economic benefit on the region through jobs and tax revenue. Stated the <br /> importance of reasonable enforcement of best management practices and <br /> reclamation process to mitigate impacts on other resources. <br /> San Juan Basin Health Responded but did not have any comments at that time. <br /> Department <br /> Vista de Oro Property A formal letter of protest of the lease modification because of off-site <br /> Owners Association— impacts of mine operations that included the following statements: <br /> contains comments of 35 Mine operations affect quality of life,habitability, and property values as <br /> landowners well as potential contamination of water wells. <br /> Existing vibration and noise from the mine's coal trucks and coal <br /> conveyors is causing disturbance to adjacent landowners. <br /> Adjacent landowners are reporting coal dust and methane smell in well <br /> water. <br /> Expect that mine expansion will increase these detrimental effects and <br /> increase truck traffic along CR 120 to unacceptable levels. <br /> La Plata County Planning Conveyed negative comments from Landowner meeting 9/11/2012 <br /> Department including: noise,water pollution, expansion concerns. LPC also articulated <br /> their role in local land use permitting. <br /> Schmitz, Paul Stated that: <br /> That there have been violations of Public Due Process. <br /> Accurate water consumption figures and environmental chemicals impacts <br /> seem overlooked. <br /> That previous EAs or EISs don't cumulatively account for the draw of <br /> waters from depleted subsurface flows. <br /> The mine is in an over-committed water decree system. <br /> Cumulative impacts have been overlooked by the agencies. <br /> San Juan Citizens Alliance Issues identified included segmenting lease decisions from mining impacts; <br /> conformance with the TRFO RMP; cumulative impact analyses; and <br /> resource concerns related to climate change,public health, air quality, <br /> water quality and quantity, surface cracks (subsidence), erosion,wildlife, <br /> traffic/roads. <br /> Notes:BLM=Bureau of Land Management;CR=County Road,EA=Environmental Assessment;EIS=Environmental Impact <br /> Statement;GCC=GCC Energy,LLC;TRFO=Tres Rios Field Office;RMP=Resource Management Plan. <br /> DOI-BLM-CO-S010-2011-0074-EA <br /> September 2017 <br /> -26- <br />