Laserfiche WebLink
<br />may be requested to issue a permit fora railroad crossing over East Salt <br />Creek. The type of structure and construction method will determine whether a <br />permit (Sec. 404) would be necessary. <br />The BLM Final West-Central Colorado Coal Environmental Statement 1979 <br />(West-Central ES) was used extensively to provide background data in preparing <br />this environmental assessment and is referenced throughout this document. <br />Data analyzed in this environmental assessment along with other data prepared <br />by the Geological Survey and Office of Surface Mining will be used in making <br />the final decision for granting the lease application. <br />Volume 1 of the West-Central ES discussed the leasing sequence and legal <br />requirements that must be met prior to coal production. <br />AUTHORIZATION ACTIONS <br />Leasing and development will be under the authority of 1) the Mineral Leasing <br />Act of February 25, 1920, as amended by the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments <br />Act of 1976 and the Act of October 30, 1978; 2) the Multiple Minerals <br />Development Act of August 13, 1954; 3) the Federal Land Managmeent and Policy <br />Act (FLPMA) of 1976; 4) the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) <br />of 1977; and 5) applicable Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Geologist Survey <br />(USGS), and Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) <br />regulations. <br />Federal agency responsibilities for the management of federally owned coal are <br />listed in part VIII of the July 19, 1979 Federal Register. The proposed <br />leases would be issued to the applicant on a noncompetitive basis, only after <br />meeting all legal requirements. <br />RELATION OF PROPOSED LEASE AREAS TO <br />DEVELOPMENT NE R THE RE ND FUTURE TRENDS <br />The Dorchester Coal Company is currently mining coal on land owned and leased <br />by the company which borders public lands identified in the PRLAs or proposed <br />lease areas. The company has been mining on a small sale to test mining <br />methods and explore the coal seams. The privately-owned land being mined at <br />this time contains approximately 800,000 tons of coal. <br /> <br />The proposed mine is in addition to seven others in or near Mesa County that <br />have been granted new or extended leases (ARCO, 2 GEX, 2 Midcontinental Coal, <br />Sheridan, and Colorado-Westmoreland). According to the West-Central ES six of <br />these mines would account for 26 percent of Mesa County's growth in the next _ <br />10 years. The Dorchester mine would add to that growth and should be viewed <br />in the content of all coal development in the area. Volume 1 of the <br />West-Central ES discusses the full range of future regional development. <br />Granting of these leases would add to future development and environmental <br />impacts. <br />This assessment will become part of a regional analysis now being prepared <br />which is entitled Uinta-Southwestern Utah Regional Coal EIS. <br />1-2 <br />