2020-10-27_PERMIT FILE - C1981035 (20)

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Biological Assessment Federal Coal Lease Modification(COC-62920)and Federal Mine Permit(CO-0106A)Revision and Renewal 6. Effects Analysis This section analyzes the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts to each subject species and critical habitat, and describes the anticipated response (e.g., none, abandon the area, decrease foraging success, reduced fecundity, injury, death)from any likely exposure to the impacts. Also included is a cumulative effects analysis for actions that are likely to adversely affect listed resources reasonably certain to occur within the AA. 6.1 Summary of Impacts 6.1.1 Direct Air Quality Effects Direct impacts to air quality from activities at the King 11 Mine would over time occur from increased fugitive dust associated with production and coal truck traffic increases as road improvements progressed through each phase. However, the region surrounding the Proposed Action is currently designated as in attainment for all criteria pollutants, meaning no violations of ambient air quality standards have been documented in the area. Regardless, no federally listed species are known to occur within the 2-mile area around King II Mine where direct air impacts would occur; therefore, no direct impacts to any federally listed species are expected to occur. Several of the obligate riparian species such as yellow-billed cuckoo, southwestern willow flycatcher, and New Mexico jumping meadow mouse, are known to occur in La Plata County, with the nearest potential habitats located along the La Plata River. The King II Mine is about 4.5 miles from the La Plata River. No direct impacts from mine operations are expected to occur to these species or habitats along the La Plata River. 6.1.2 Indirect Air Quality Effects Indirect air quality effects from the Proposed Action are generally related to coal transport and combustion and, to a lesser extent, the CR 120 improvements. The relatively small and geographically spread out mobile source emissions are a continuation of an existing activity and are not anticipated to cause any concerns to local or regional air quality. Several thousand more vehicles, other than the coal trucks, travel project area roads and highway routes daily and air quality is being maintained. Additionally, mobile source emissions for the affected area have been evaluated on a regional scale by the Four Corners Air Quality Group. This evaluation and forecast for the Four Corners region, including the affected area and the rail terminal location, found that emissions levels forecast for a 2018 scenario would not exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Given that the mobile source emissions levels from the Proposed Action are incorporated into the 2018 scenario, these modeling results support the conclusion there would be no significant indirect air quality effects for the Proposed Action. July 2017 27