2020-10-27_PERMIT FILE - C1981035 ‎(23)‎

• Permit No: C1981035
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 10/27/2020
• Section_Exhibit Name: KII Appendix 15 E.A. Dunn Ranch LBA
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Table 1-1. Completed EAs for the King II Mine
Agency EA Number Proposed Action(s) Issuance Date of FONSI
and Decision Record
BLM DOI-BLM-00-S010- Coal Exploration License COC- September 13, 2016
2014-0025-EA 76563 for 23 exploration holes
(18 exploration holes within the
LBA area)
BLM and DOI-BLM-CO-S010- Coal Lease Modification, Mining BLM—December 15, 2017
OSMRE 2011-0074-EA Plan Modification and Permit OSMRE—January 4, 2018
Renewal for the King II Mine
BLM DOI-BLM-CO-S010- Amendment to Coal Exploration May 15, 2018
2014-0025-EA License COC-76563 for 11
additional exploration holes
The TRFO prepared EA number DOI-BLM-CO-S010-2014-0025 (Table 1-1)to analyze the potential impacts
of an exploration program for the LBA area. Because the area analyzed in the exploration license
application EA covers most of the proposed LBA area; shares drainage areas, the same environmental
resources, and physical environment with the proposed LBA area;and that EA described and analyzed the
effects of approximately 5.3 acres of surface disturbance, similar in scale to what would occur within the
proposed LBA area, the Exploration License EA is incorporated by reference in this EA (available at
https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/nepa/nepa register.do).
DOI-BLM-CO-S010-2011-0074-EA analyzed: 1) the potential effects of a proposed lease modification by
GCCE to add approximately 950.6 acres to existing federal coal lease COC-62920; 2)the potential effects
of a proposed revision to GCCE's existing, OSMRE-approved mine permit CO-0106A for proposed mining
in the lease modification parcels;and 3)the effects of OSMRE approval of a five-year renewal of that mine
permit.Three of the four parcels comprising the lease modification on the north,east, and south portions
of the mine permit boundary share portions of their borders with the proposed LBA being analyzed in this
EA (BLM and OSMRE 2017). Because the area analyzed in the lease modification EA is immediately
adjacent to the proposed LBA area;shares drainage areas,the same environmental resources and physical
environment with the proposed LBA; and that EA described and analyzed the effects of the same mining
methods to be utilized in the proposed LBA, the lease modification EA (BLM and OSMRE 2017) is
incorporated by reference in this EA (available at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-
office/eplannine/planAnd Pro iectSite.do?methodName=renderDefaultPlanOrProiectSite&pro iectld=7089
5).
This EA tiers to and also incorporates by reference the Final EIS for the Final San Juan National Forest and
Proposed TRFO Land and Resource Management Plan (RMP) (September 2013) (BLM and USFS 2013)and
the TRFO RMP and Record of Decision (BLM 2015).These documents analyzed the general effects of coal
leasing for the public lands within the TRFO.
The King II Mine currently consists of approximately 26 acres of surface facilities on state-leased lands and
approximately 830 acres of underground disturbance. The operation is located in Section 36, Township
35 North, Range 12 West, New Mexico Principal Meridian (NMPM)on CR 120 approximately 7 miles west
Dunn Ranch Area Coal Lease by Application COC-78825 and Mine Plan Modification EA 1-2