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the value and use of the surface lands. The e`fect of these regulations • will be to reduce impacts of subsidence. Paleontology Ftininc ~~;ay damage or destroy any paleontologic resources t:hick exist on the tract. , Flinerai Pesoul'ces An estimated 2.5 million tons or' coal lie in place in the seam on th15 tYaCt, nt an estimated 50 percent recovery rate, ',iesiet-n Slope Carbon ('.<SC) could mine 1.25 ~~;illior tons. Therefore, as a result of the proposed action 50 percent of the in-place reserves in the c seam t•:ould be lost due to the limitations of existing minima technology. The 1.25 nll lllon tons OT cCal lost Cady never be reCOVet'a ble 7f SUbStantlal improvements in existing ur.derareund mining technoiog_~ are not r.:ade. The loss of this coal is ah expected -impact of most roo;~,-and-pillar mining operations. ;.o other mineral resources t•:ould be affected by coal mining. l•later P,esou Flinine on the proposed tract `,vould eventually reach a depth of 500 .feet belcti•: the level of the 'forth Fork liver. Flining, ha;:ever, ~:;cuid not actually extend be::eath the rig-er. Ground-t.2ter inflc•i frca the • coal can be expected tc increase pronressively ~:ith increasing depth of the mane belo'r: river level. Total 1nr10'./ to the ~:,lnE on the proposed tract is expected to be at feast 5 gallons per minute. r.ppreciable 1 nfl Ot•! l5 nOt expected, hC:lever, because subsidence fractures uiduced by room-and-pillar minim^_ methods should be mir•iral. ',;5~ crJid use this water in their mining operation if they obtain the appropriate ~:`ater rights or it vrould have to be disposed of, Federal reoulations in 30(CFR): 817.42 require effluent from undereround miring operations meet ~•,ater quality standards to maintain t•:ater quality do':rnstream. Flo measurable impact =rep the mining should occur to the grcune-~•:ater resources outside the proposed tract. !}hen the coal reserves are exhausted and the mine is closed, the abandoned workings ~:`ould eventuall}~ fill l•:1 th N'a ter over d period Of years LO app roxlmately ri \'2r level, cr-teY ~,~hich ground-water discharge to the river should resu~~,e at approximately pre-minine rate. Tito ouali±y of ±his a:ater should not he significantly different firom pre-mining discharge from the lease area to the river.. Proper design and construction of surface runoff control and treat- ment facilities as required by 30 CFR 717.17 trould prevent or minimize any pollution of the florth Fork river as a reult of the proposed action. t;o permanent disrution of any streams is expected because subsidence at the surface should no t. be appreciable. •