Laserfiche WebLink
i - ~ .:/ ~/ <br />~ 2 ~J <br />•tncluding such items as the mining plan, modification of existing or <br />proposed rnanagenent frametirork and grazing allotn2nt plans, and any per•- <br />niits that may be necessary. Tlra mining plan shoulrl c;cscribc metficds <br />".~ for rcnoving tiro entire mineable thickness o'• th. D seam, as tell as <br />any other minaahi° Berms that r:auld be adversely aff~c~[ed by raining <br />the D Sea,'a. I'f technology to achieve maximum ~ ?co•lpry oi' i.l~e coal r~- <br />•,, source is not available, EPA believes that rainirr, in the area should <br />;s L•a delayed. The mining of the 3 scam is also of co;~cer~n to EPA in <br />this regard because we believe thatth~ EAR should address tf~e quality <br />~, and marketability of all of the mineable coal in a proposed 'lease <br />tract. If indeed the B seam is mineable and of adequate quality for• <br />some market, and r:e believe it is boi:h, the EAR and the mining plan <br />should address its recovery and thn_ possible Head ror cosl vrashing <br />facilities. <br />EPA believes that an analysis of the environmental imparts of the <br />proposed action is incomplete r:it"~u~c an evaluation of the asaaunt of <br />water that kwuld be required to jai;io the coal in the proposed lease <br />tract. Such an evaluation is very iraportant in v12~d of the relation- <br />ship beb•reen streamflo~rs and ,later quality and because o~~ the import- <br />~ ante of water to agriculture in the htorth Fork Valley. <br />., <br />The EAR presents very little information orr the specific water <br />needs of the de•relopment proposed by Colorado Westsnoti-aland, Inc. 4!e <br />do note, ho;aver, that a nunber of studies analyzing the r:ator nocds <br />`,~ o; fha project And the nvailnbility of suitable supplies to meet tl;ese <br />needs have ber.n pr~el~ared by consultants to the cc~-np:,ny. ~ihnse r2por•ts <br />ti_ include: <br />:. <br />a} "stater R2quir~ments Study...for Converse D nine Project." <br />Harrison 4!estern Corp., Sept~mb~r 10, 1S7G; <br />b) "Engineering Report on k!atar Rights a•:ned by Colorado 4!est- <br />moreland, Inc. Near Paonia, Colo;•ndo, "Uta Engineering and Surveying <br />Company, Novcnber, 1976; <br />c) "Crchard Valley lime Water Resources Strategy (letter)," <br />'aright 4later Engineers, January il, 1977; <br />•~ d) "Groundwater Investigation of Stevens Gulch for Colorado <br />'~'~ 'desJr;oreland, Inc., "iJright linter Enc,•Ine~rs, t?ay 4, 1977; and <br />e) "Orchard Palley Ptine 4later Rc-..sources/4later Rights", l:rialrt <br />Water Engir~ecrs, July 18, 1977. <br />In reviewing these studies, we I:ave found t}iat the estim4ted water <br />needs range from approximately 28 g.alions per minute (4lright !•later <br />Engir.~ers, l/18J77 to about 50 gailcr;s per• minute (H~rris~n `l~~ster•n <br /> <br /> <br />