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<br />FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT <br />DORCHESTER-COAL COMPANY <br />February 1981 <br />TABLE OF CONTENTS <br />Section 1 <br />Page <br />PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR .................................................. I-1 <br />BACKGROUND ............................................................... 1-1 <br />AUTHORIZING ACTIONS ...................................................... 1-2 <br />RELATION OF PROPOSED LEASE AREAS TO DEVELOPMENT NEAR THE AREA <br />AND FUTURE TREND ....................................................... 1-2 <br />LEGAL AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS INCLUDED AS PART OF THE <br />PROPOSED ACTION ........................................................ 1-3 <br />GENERAL AND SITE-SPECIFIC ASSUMPTIONS ....:............................... 1-3 <br />Section 2 <br />ALTERNATIVES ............................................................. 2-4 <br />INTRODUCTION ........................................................ 2-4 <br />DESCRIPTION OF THE MINING AREAS ..................................... 2-5 <br />NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ............................................... 2-9 <br />PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE--COMPANY PROPOSAL ............................. 2-9 <br />PROJECTED SCOPE OF DEVELOPMENT ....:............................ 2-9 <br />MINING OPERATION PROCEDURES .:............. ..................... 2-10 <br />DORCHESTER MINING PLAN ......................................... 2-10 <br />COAL TRANSPORTATION--ROUTES AND METHODS ........................ 2-~2 <br />OTHER LEASING ALTERNATIVES .............. .. .......................... 2-25 <br />COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS (table 5) ...................................... 2-28 <br />ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT NOT INCLUDED ............................ 2-28 <br />Section 3 <br />AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT <br />AIR QUALITY ......................................................... 3-30 <br />GEOLOGY/MINERALS .................................................... 3-30 <br />SOILS ............................................................... 3-31 <br />WATER RESOURCES ..................................................... 3-38 <br />VEGETATION .......................................................... 3-38 <br />WILDLIFE ............................................................ 3-41 <br />THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES . ............................. 3-46 <br />CULTURAL RESOURCES 3-46 <br />.................................................. <br />VISUAL RESOURCES .................................................... 3-46 <br />WILDERNESS 3-51 <br />.......................................................... <br />AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN . ............................ 3-51 <br />RECREATION 3-51 <br />.......................................................... <br />TRANSPORTATION/UTILITIES ............................................ 3-52 <br />LAND USE 3-53 <br />........................................................... <br />SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ................................................. 3-53 <br />NOISE ............................................................... 3-56 <br />