2020-06-25_REVISION - C1981035 (35)

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Environmental Assessment No. Alternative Description Source of Alternative J. 9 Aerial Tram/Conveyor Little detail was provided in the scoping comment. For Public Comment the purpose of consideration of an aerial tram or (Danielson) elevated conveyor; it is assumed that the alignment would follow that of alternatives 6, 7, and 8. 10 Slurry Pipeline Little detail was provided in the scoping comment. For Public Comment the purpose of consideration of constructing a pipeline (Danielson) to slurry convey coal; it is assumed that the alignment would follow that of alternatives 6, 7, and 8. As stated above,when considering alternatives to be carried through in a NEPA analysis,the alternatives must, among other criteria,meet the project purpose and need;be technically and economically feasible; and its implementation must not be remote or speculative. 2.3.3 Alternatives Eliminated Following Initial Screening Of the ten transportation alternatives identified through scoping, four alternatives were initially screened and subsequently eliminated from future detailed consideration and analysis in the EA. A summary description of each of the alternatives follows, along with the pros and cons identified and considered, and the rationale for eliminating from detailed analysis in this EA. Alternative 1 —New North Bound Haul Road This option would involve the construction of a dedicated haul road north to a new intersection with U.S. Highway 160. The roadway would be approximately 8 miles in length. This option was reviewed as a coal hauling alternative route that would eliminate the impacts to residents along CR 120 and CR 119. It would also reduce coal truck traffic along SH 140. The land north of the King II Mine to U.S. Highway 160 is forested ponderosa pine and spruce/fir woodlands at the higher elevations and pinon juniper and Gambel oak at lower elevations. The King II Mine is at 7,200 feet in elevation. The terrain extending to the north is characterized by steep slopes climbing in elevation to approximately 8,500 feet before descending back down to U.S. Highway 160. The area is remote, largely undisturbed land with excellent wildlife and scenic values. Some of the canyons in this area contain suitable habitat for the Mexican spotted owl, a federally threatened species, although there are no owl occurrence records from the immediate area(refer to Section 3.10 Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Species). There is a small network of primitive roads and/or 2-tracks that are likely used for hunting by area landowners. The land is mostly private all the way to the highway(minimum of eight private land parcels would be crossed). The access onto U.S. Highway 160 would be in the immediate vicinity of the Hesperus Ski Area creating a safety concern and impacts to the recreation experience. Once on U.S. Highway 160, coal trucks would need to travel westbound to U.S. Highway 491, either through the Cortez business district or via a newly constructed bypass. The reasons for eliminating this alternative include the following: DOI-B LM-CO-S010-2011-0074-EA September 2017 -53-