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• Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) reviewed the <br />permit revision application under the Colorado State <br />program, the Federal lands program (30 CFR Chapter VII, <br />Subchapter D), and the Colorado cooperative agreement (30 <br />CFR § 906.30). Pursuant to the Colorado State program and <br />the cooperative agreement, Colorado DMG approved the permit <br />revision application on September 25, 1992. <br />OSM has consulted with other Federal agencies for compliance <br />with the requirements of applicable Federal laws, and their <br />comments and concurrences are included in the decision <br />document. The resource recovery and protection plan was <br />reviewed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for <br />compliance with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, <br />and 43 CFR Part 3480, and BLM recommended approval of the <br />mining plan in a memorandum dated September 30, 1992. The <br />State Historic Preservation Officer concurred on December 3, <br />1992 with OSM's November 25, 1992, assessment and <br />recommendations for protection of cultural resources. <br />The U.S. Fish and wildlife Service provided its final <br />consultation comments under Section 7 of the Endangered <br />Species Act in a memorandum dated February 3, 1993, and <br />required a contribution of $364.19 to the Fish and Wildlife <br />Foundation to mitigate depletion of surface flows to the <br />Upper Colorado River. SMC made the contribution on February <br />• 23, 1993. <br />I have determined that the proposed area of mining plan <br />approval is not unsuitable for mining in accordance with <br />section 522(b) of SMCRA. <br />The permit revision area is not on any Federal lands within <br />the boundaries of any national forest. <br />OSM has determined that approval of this mining plan will <br />not have a significant impact on the quality of the human <br />environment. The impacts of approval of this mining plan <br />and alternatives are described in the environmental analysis <br />included with the decision document. <br />The mining plan approval document included in the decision <br />document is in conformance with the Mineral Leasing Act of <br />1920, as amended, and applicable Federal regulations. I <br />recommend that you advise the Assistant Secretary, Land and <br />Minerals Management, under 30 CFR Part 746, that the SMC's <br />Somerset Mine mining plan for Federal lease COC-53510 is <br />ready for approval. <br />II. Background <br />• The Somerset underground coal mine is located in Delta and <br />Gunnison Counties, Colorado, one mile east of Somerset. The <br />mine has been in operation since 1902. About 61 acres have <br />