HYDRO31382

• Permit No: C1981022
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Name: SOMERSET MINING CO COAL LEASE APPLICATION C-53510 ENVIRONMENTAL ANAYSIS U-92-13
• Permit Index Doc Type: OTHER GROUND WATER
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Following completion of the EA for competitive coal lease application COC-
53510, the Montrose District Office of BLM will forward the competitive lease
• application, the EA, maximum economic recovery report (MER), Decision Record
(DR), Finding of No Significant impact (FONSI), proposed lease terms and
conditions, and preliminary recommendations to the BLM State Director in
Denver. The Colorado State Director will make a determination on the leasing
action, the proposed lease terms and conditions and bonding requirements, and
the adequacy of the FONSI or the need for an environmental impact statement.
The State Director then prepares newspaper and Federal Register notices of the
sale end poste a notice of the proposed sale in the Public Room. The notice
of the proposed sale ie then distributed to the public and advice of sale ie
sent to the Attorney General. A sales panel consisting of the Deputy State
Director for Mineral Resources, a BLM mining engineer, a BLM geologist, and a
BLM mineral economist ie then designated.
Once the sale has been held, qualified bidders are evaluated and ranked by the
sale panel which would then make recommendations of acceptance to the State
Director. The eucceeeful bidder is then notified of additional requirements
and requested to submit data and information necessary for a review by the
Attorney General.' Onee the Attorney General has completed hie review, the
lease documents are then transmitted to the eucceeeful bidder for signature
and submission of the bond. The State Director then makes the decision
approving the bond and issuing the lease. Copies of the decision are then
distributed to the BLH District Office, the Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement and the Hinerale Management Service (MMS).
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSHRE) has agreed to
cooperate in preparing this EA. In addition, OSHRE has jurisdiction in
recommending approval of any mining plan that might result from BLH'e leasing
decision. The BLM, though, must concur with OSMRE'e recommendation to the
Aeeietant Secretary concerning the mining plan submitted to OSHRE by a
eucceeeful bidder (lessee).
• SHCRA gives OSMRE primary reeponeibility to administer programs that regulate
surface coal mining operations on federal lands and the surface effects of
underground coal mining operations on federal lands. Pursuant to Section 503
of SMCRA, the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division (CMLRD) developed, and
the Secretary of the Interior approved, a permanent program authorizing CMLRD
to regulate surface coal mining operations and surface effects of underground
coal mining on non-federal lands within the State of Colorado. In September
1982, pursuant to Section 523(c) of SMCRA, CMLRD entered into a cooperative
agreement with the Secretary of the Interior authorizing CMLRD to regulate
surface coal mining operations and surface effects of underground mining on
federal lands within the state.
Pursuant to the cooperative agreement, federal coal lease holders in Colorado
moat submit permit application packages to OSHRE and CMLRD for proposed mining
and reclamation operations on federal lands in the State. The CHLRD reviews
the packages to ensure that the permit application complies with the
permitting requirements and that the coal mining operation will meet the
approved permanent program's performance standards; if it does comply, CMLRD
issues the lessee a permit to conduct coal mining operations. The OSMRE, BLM,
and other federal agencies review the permit application package to ensure
that it complies with the terms of the coal lease; the requirements of the
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920; the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969;
and other federal laws and their attendant regulations. The OSMRE recommends
approval, approval with conditions, or disapproval of the mining plan to the
Aeeietant Secretary - Land and Hinerale Management. Before the mining plan
can be approved, BLN and the surface-managing agency (if other than BLM) must
concur with this recommendation.
The CMLRD enforces the performance standards and permit requirements during
the mine's operation and has primary authority in environmental emergencies.
• The OSMRE
authority retains oversight reeponeibility for this enforcement. The BLH has
in those emergency situations where CMLRD or OSHRE inspectors cannot
act before significant environmental harm or damage occurs.