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of the public involvement. Copies of scoping and EA transmittal letters, public notice, news releases, and comments <br />received are contained in the project file. <br />There has been a high level of public interest in coal projects in the area during recent years. A community-based <br />public interest group has formed, called the North Fork Coal Working Group (NFCWG), to encourage collaboration <br />for solutions to coal-related issues. A public involvement process has been established through the work of the <br />NFCWG among the agencies, local governments, environmental advocacy groups, interested citizens, and the <br />mining companies. The NFCWG was included in the project scoping efforts. <br />The Sylvester Road and Box Canyon MDW projects were scoped as part of the 2002 Panels 16 to 24 Coal Methane <br />Drainage Project effort. In this scoping effort, the USFS published notices inviting comments for scoping on the <br />proposed project in the Delta County /ndependent-North Fork Times on November 14, 2001, in the Grand Junction <br />Daily Sentinel on November 16, 2001 and January 17, 2002; and in the Denver Post on January 17, 2002. A <br />notification letter was sent to 26 known interested parties on November 16, 2001. USFS and MCC representatives <br />met with representatives of the NFCWG on December 14, 2001 and February 5, 2002. The NFCWG publicized and <br />sponsored a community roundtable discussion and issued a press release describing the project, published in the <br />Delta County /ndependent-North Fork Times on January 2, 2002. Approximately 48 individuals attended the <br />original community roundtable discussion, held at the Paonia Town Hall, on January 9, 2002. <br />For the Box Canyon Shallow Seismic Survey, the Forest Service issued a letter to thirty-two interested parties on <br />June 9, 2003 inviting comments. Legal notices appeared on June 11, 2003 in the Deltn County /ndependent-North <br />Fork Times, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, and the Denver Post. The Forest Service received three comment letters <br />on this activity and used these scoping comments to help guide the analysis. <br />These projects have also been included in the Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) for the GMUG. The SOPA is <br />available on the Internet, and is mailed to a list of 15 interested parties on a quarterly basis. <br />scoping input was reviewed, analyzed, and summarized to represent the issues and concerns of the respondents. <br />Based on the issues and concerns of the respondents, and in response to the issues raised, alternatives were <br />developed [hat address both the project issues and the purpose and need for the project, as described in Sections 1.0, <br />]A.2 and 2A.2 in the EA Supplement. <br />The completed EA Supplement was sent out for 30-day public review and continent on February 4, 2004. The EA' <br />Supplement was mailed to 45 individuals and organizations. The list was derived in part from those parties having <br />received copies of the 2002 Panel 16 to 24 DN/FONSI. Legal notices announcing the availability of the EA <br />Supplement for public review and comment appeared in the Grand Junction Dnily Sentinel and the North Fork <br />Times on February 4, 2004. <br />The Forest Service received six comment letters, representing 12 interested parties. The public comment letters and <br />the Forest Service Response to Comments are given in Appendix C of the EA Supplement. <br />VI. FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT <br />Based on my review of the EA Supplement and supporting project record, I have determined that my decision does <br />not constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, as defined in the <br />Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 1508, section 27 (40 CFR 1508.27) in either context or intensity. <br />Significance of Context <br />Locality. The three components in this Decision would temporarily directly affect about two (2) acres of land on the <br />Paonia Ranger District. Short-term impacts are mitigated by application of the Conditions of Approval (from the <br />2002 panel 16 to 24 DN/FONSI, in Appendix A of this document), and the Supplemental Conditions of Approval <br />for Box Canyon (Appendix B) and the Seismic Conditions of Approval (Appendix C). <br />About 10, 000 acres of land (inclusive of federal and private land) are under lease for coal mining in the area. <br />Surface use including road and drill pad construction has been approved in the area over the past 30 years. Roads <br />Page 14 <br />