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<br />4. Impact Analysis <br />A. Impacts of the Proposed Action <br />The description of the impacts of the proposed operations are <br />contairsEYi in the Findings Section of the State's proposed decision <br />and find_ngs of compliance pages 8-55. <br />No new surface disturbance is planned for this revision. Impacts <br />assessed in the original approval of July, 1981 for socioeconomics, <br />vegetation, wildlife, topography, land use, geology and air quality <br />have rot changed. <br />Under section 522(b) of SMCRA, the Secretary of the Interior must <br />conduct a review of Federal lards to determine, pursuant to the <br />standards set_forth in sections 522(a)(2) and 522(a)(3) of SMCRA, <br />whether there are areas on Federal lands that are unsuitable for all <br />or certain types of surface coal mining operations. The Federal <br />lards within the permit area were reviewed by C6M and the results of <br />that review are discussed below. <br />Section 522(a)(2) of SMQtA requires that reclamation must be <br />techmlogically and ecoramically feasible. C6M (1) reviewed the <br />operations and reclamation plan portion of the permit application, <br />(2) reviewed and concurs with Colorado MIIRD's finding that <br />reclamation, as required by the State program approved pursuant to <br />SMCRA, can be accomplished order the reclamation plan contained in <br />the hermit application, and (3) reviewed and corsc~.>rs with Colorado <br />MCRD s reclamation cost determined for bond requirement. As a <br />result of this review, OSM determines that the reclamation as <br />proposed in the PAP is technologically and economically feasible. <br />Section 522(a)(3) of SMQiA states that "a surface area may be <br />designated unsuitable for certain types of surface coal mining <br />operations if such operations will: <br />(A) be incompatible with existing State or local land use plans <br />or p rams; or <br />(B) affect fragile or historic lands in which suds operations <br />could result in significant damage to important historic, cultssal, <br />scientific, and esthetic values and natural systems; or <br />(C) affect rersewable resource lardds in which such operations <br />could result in a substantial loss or reduction of Icing-range <br />productivity of water supply or of food or fiber products, and such <br />lards to include aquifers and aquifer recharge areas; or <br />(D) affect natural hazard lands in which such operations could <br />substantially endanger life and property, such lends to include <br />areas subject to frequent flooding and areas of unstable geology." <br />-3- <br />