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.€ .o <br />ENVIRONY~N,;,L ASSESS?7r'~I <br />Proposed Mine Expansion <br />Energy Mines 1 and 2 and the Ecknan Park Area <br />Proposed Action <br />The U.S. Office of Surface ?lining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is <br />recom:aending approval with stipulations of the mining expansion proposed by <br />Energy Fuels Corporation for Energy Mines 1•and 2 and the Eckman Park area. <br />The mines are located 25 miles southwest of Steamboat Springs in Routt County, <br />Colorado (figure 1). OSMs recozc~endation is in accordance crith the initial <br />program regulations (30 CFR 211 and 710) implementing the Surface Yining <br />Control and Reclamation Act (SMCR.4) of 1977 and conditions of the leases. The <br />"plan has also been reviewed and found in compliance with the perfor~arce <br />standard requirements of the peraanent program regulations pertaining to <br />Federal lands, with the exception of the standards for contenporaneous <br />reclamztion (30 CFR 816.1DD). <br />Foroose of and Need for Action <br />The Department of the Interior has received a mining and reclamation plan for <br />Federal coal lands that proposes to extend r~ Wing from Energy ".ine 1 into tie <br />Eckman Park area (new lease area). In addition to proposing an erpanded <br />mining opera tior., the plan updates a previously approves plan on Enerev Mines <br />1 and 2 in order to meet tiie requirements of S!!CRA and regulations pursuant to <br />SMCcZ~. Energy Fuels will ship the coal by unit train to Public Service <br />Company of Colorado and Illinois Power Company under existing contras a . <br />Background <br />Energti• Coal Company began surface-mir.:ng operations at the Energy 1 Miae i-. <br />1962 (Federal coal lease D-052507). In 1972, Energy Fue'_s Corporation, the <br />new owner, opened Energy !Sine 2, and in 1975, the company openec Energy `tine 3 <br />(no Federal coal). In 1975, 1977, 1978, and 1979 the Department approved <br />additional mining of Federal coal (Federal leases C-16284, C-0128433, <br />C-08133 D, C-20900, C-22644, and D-052547). The U. S. Bureau of Land Y.anagement <br />(BLY.) analyzed the environmental impacts of miring on these leases in its <br />environmental impact statement (EIS), Northwest Colorado Coal (FES 77-1, .;an. <br />19:7) and supplemental environmental report (Dec. 1978). The operation Fns <br />been producing over 3 million tons per year of high-quality, low-sulfur steam <br />coal since 1976. Surface owners of the land in the Energy mines complex are <br />private, State, and Federal Government. <br /> <br /> <br />a <br />