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This decision approves construction and use of these 3 drill pads for 5 methane drainage wells (MDWs), and the <br />temporary road construction needed to access these facilities: Additional directionally drilled MDWs may be drilled <br />from these approved pads. Any additional MDWs from these pads will be proposed through the Annual Operating <br />Plan (See Appendix A). Winter access will be by over the snow conveyances. MCC is not permitted to use any <br />vehicle, including ATVs to travel off road or off trail, without specific permission from the Paonia District Ranger. <br />These decisions are conditioned as follows: <br />The temporary toads will be constructed to the specifications detailed in the Conditions of Approval from the 2002 <br />DN/FONSI, and Supplemental Conditions of Approval for Box Canyon (Appendices A and B, respectively). The <br />approved Supplemental Conditions of Approval for Box Canyon were derived from the Management and Mitigation <br />Measures disclosed in the EA Supplement (Chapter 3B). Both major and minor changes were trade to these <br />Supplemental Conditions of Approval for Box Canyon as a result of IDT discussion, public comment, (refer to <br />Appendix C of the EA Supplement). <br />This decision is contingent upon the approved activities staying to the "existing footprint" of prior disturbance in <br />Box Canyon, with the exception of the spur access road and drill pad needed for MDW 18-03. Some minor <br />enlargement of the reclaimed drill sites may be needed. Drill pad size will be minimized to prevent undue <br />dismrbance and will follow the constmction specifications detailed in Appendices A and B. The Paonia District <br />Ranger will approve the final road alignments and pad locations after field review to ensure minimal surface <br />disturbance and protection of other resources. <br />This decision is also contingent upon MCC's continued compliance with the stipulations attached to the federal coal <br />leases (included in the EA Supplement as Appendix A) except where an exception has been granted, and the <br />Conditions of Approval identified in the 2002 Panel 16 to 24 DN/FONSI signed by the Region 2 Regional Forester <br />(included in this document as Appendix A). It is also conditioned upon the CDMG incorporating the Supplemental <br />Conditions of Approval for Box Canyon (included in this document as Appendix B) into MCC's State mine permit. <br />Each MDW will be plugged and reclaimed as soon as it is no longer needed for methane drainage. This portion of <br />the methane drainage project is expected to end in 2010. The temporary road accessing the Box Canyon MDWs <br />will be decommissioned as specified in Appendix B as soon as the hole it services is no longer needed, and <br />reclamation of the drill.pad has been completed. .. ... _ <br />I am not approving construction of drill pads for MDWs 19-04, 20-04/05, and 21-05/06, and the associated length of <br />temporary access road. The denial of these 5 MD Ws represents about 7% of the about 68 total MDWs proposed by <br />MCC in the total MDW project. <br />This decision will require and amendment to MCC's special use permit for occupation of NFS ]ands for the <br />temporary road and drill pads in Box Canyon. The activities authorized in this decision can be implemented through <br />issuance of this Decision Notice, and [he Forest Service's subsequent concurrence on adding these activities into <br />MCC's Colorado State approved mine permit. MCC is required to secure any additional State or Federal permits as <br />required by law. <br />Reasons 1'or the Decision <br />With respect to the Box Canyon MDWs and temporary road construction, the activities are proposed by MCC to <br />facilitate handling elevated gas levels in the underground mine. This decision responds to the overall purpose and <br />need, which is to consider surface activities associated with an underground coal mine within the constraints of lease <br />stipulations. The decision framework for the Forest Service is whether or no[ to approve the road and drill pad <br />constmction for use in operating MDWs, and [o consider granting exceptions to the lease stipulation for riparian <br />area occupancy (EA Supplement, Section IB.4). <br />I choose to approve drill pads and access roads for MDWs where the surface resources have been disturbed in the <br />past, and where surface resources are better able to absorb and recover from the disturbance as described in the EA <br />Page 7 <br />