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<br />Finding of ~Io Significant Impact <br />The [ethnical assessment (TA) and the environmental assessment (EA) preceding <br />the Finding of No Significant Impact identifies certain environmental impacts <br />that would occur Erom the continued operation of the Orchard Valley Mine onto <br />a federal coal lease of approximately 565 acres. The mine would, in a limited <br />was, affect the hydrologic balance due to the underground mining operation. <br />Impacts from subsidence, if any, appear to be mitigatable or avoidable, and <br />the potential impacts are discussed in [he TA prepared by Colorado Mined Land <br />Reclamation Division and an EA prepared by BLM on the short-term lease <br />application C-27432 (May 1979). Adverse impacts to Alluvial Valley floors <br />have already occurred and any significant impacts are not expected, <br />Other impacts identified by OSM and the State of Colorado have been discussed <br />in detail in the Bureau of Land Management EA (1980) and will be appropriately <br />mitigated to reduce harm to the environment by the environmental protection <br />measures specified in the mining plan. <br />Based on the evaluation of impacts given in the technical assessment prepared <br />by the State of Colorado's Mined Land Reclamation Division, the environmental <br />assessment prepared by the Bureau of Land Management, and in the lease <br />agreement, we find that no significant impacts to the human environment would <br />result from the proposed mine. Therefore, an EIS is not required, and I am <br />recommending the proposed mining and reclamation plan for the Orchard Valley <br />Mine be approved. <br />Richard Dawes <br />