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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
<br /> CHAPTER 2 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES
<br /> 2.1 INTRODUCTION
<br /> This chapter provides a description of the Proposed Action, which includes the LBA and GCCE's
<br /> conceptual mine plan for the LBA. This Chapter also describes the No Action Alternative and
<br /> alternatives that were considered and eliminated from detailed analysis in accordance with 40 CFR
<br /> §150 2.14.
<br /> 2.2 ALTERNATIVE A- PROPOSED ACTION
<br /> 2.2.1 Overview
<br /> GCCE has filed an application for a federal coal lease. with the BLM Colorado State Office for its King II
<br /> Mine in the Dunn Ranch Area located in LPC, Colorado (Appendix A, Figure 1-1).The proposed new lease
<br /> would encompass approximately 2,462 acres adjacent to the northern boundary of GCCE's existing federal
<br /> coal lease COC-62920 (Appendix A, Figure 1-2).
<br /> The current federal and fee leases and OSMRE permit area of the King II Mine are accessed from the
<br /> portals and underground workings constructed on the State of Colorado lease located north of the Ute
<br /> Line in Section 36 of T35N, R12W NPPM. All surface facilities required for the proposed Project would be
<br /> the same facilities as those currently located on the State land and have been permitted under CDRMS
<br /> permit number#C-1981-035. However, for any temporary surface disturbance on privately owned land,
<br /> LPC has jurisdiction over such surface disturbances. If GCCE is successful in acquiring the new federal lease,
<br /> it would mine the coal using the continuous mining method currently used in the King II Mine and
<br /> described in this EA. OSMRE is the regulatory authority that administers Federal Permit CO-0106C,which
<br /> covers the surface effects of the underground mining area on the federal lease and surface disturbance
<br /> on land owned by the UMU Tribe. The underground operations are regulated by the Mine Safety and
<br /> Health Administration (MSHA). The MSHA Number for the King II Mine is MSHA ID#05-04864.
<br /> The lands of interest are contained entirely within LPC, Colorado, and are described as follows:
<br /> New Mexico Principal Meridian Colorado
<br /> T. 35 N., R. 11 W.,
<br /> sec. 18, lots 2 thru 5, 8, 9, and 10, SE1/4NW1/4, and NE1/4SW1/4;
<br /> sec. 19, lots 1, 2, 6, and 7, NE1/4NW1/4, and N1/2SE1/4NW1/4.
<br /> T. 35 N., R. 12 W.,
<br /> sec. 13, S1/2NE1/4, SE1/4NW1/4, S1/2SW1/4, NE1/4SE1/4, and S1/2SE1/4;
<br /> sec. 14, S1/2NE1/4SW1/4, S1/2NW1/4SW1/4, S1/2SW1/4, S1/2NW1/4SE1/4, and S1/2SE1/4;
<br /> sec. 15, SE1/4SW1/4 and S1/2SE1/4;
<br /> sec. 22, N1/2NE1/4, N1/2SW1/4NE1/4, SE1/4SW1/4NE1/4, SE1/4NE1/4, E1/2NE1/4NW1/4,
<br /> NE1/4SE1/4NW1/4, and E1/2NW1/4SE1/4;
<br /> sec. 23, N1/2NE1/4, SE1/4NE1/4, N1/2NW1/4, SE1/4SW1/4, and SE1/4;
<br /> sec. 24, N1/2, SW1/4 and NW1/4SE1/4;
<br /> Dunn Ranch Area Coal Lease by Application COC-78825 and Mine Plan Modification EA 2-1
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