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ATTACHMENT "8" NEPA COMPLIANCE COLORADO WESTMORELAND INC. RIGHT-OF-WAY APPLICATIONS FOR ORCHARD VALLEY WEST MINE I, PURPOSE AND NEED A fire in Colorado Westmoreland Inc ,'S Orchard Valley Mine on June 1, 1986, required the sealing of the mine's portals and ventilation shafts, Anew access to the coal reserves of Lease NC-37210 (issued to CWI on May 1. 1984) and other leased and fee coal properties, has been designed and a permit revision application submitted to the appropriate State and Federal agencies on August 18, 1986, This new access, the Orchard Valley West Mine, consists of an approximately 3.0 acre mine bench, with a warehouse, shop and coal stockpile area, three portal openings, sedimentation pond and access road and is located on public lands within Lease NC-37210, This area was designated as a potential portal site in the Uinta-Southwestern Utah Coal Re ion Round Two Fi- nal EIS, October, 1 or t e Lease N - sa e. Right-of-way applications have been submitted for the construction of an access/haul road from Steven's Gulch Road to the Lease NC-37210 boundary along the approximate alignment of the "Slouch Road" (Right- of-Way NC-27682), for a 46 KV power]ine from the existing powerline at the Orchard Valley Mine (Right-of-way NC-23960) to the Lease NC-37210 boundary, and for an amendment to Delta County Tele-Comm, Inc ,'s right- of-way to improve the telephone line along Steven's Gulch Road and ex- tend the line to the Orchard Valley West Mine. Portions of the pro- posed access road right-of-way include existing road rights-of-way granted to Mr, Roger Rlouch, agent for the Roatcap Owner's Access Road Maintenance Association, Grant NC-27682 RW, and Mr, Jack Pennell, Grant NC-36711 RW, and have been previously analyzed for NEPA compli- ance. The telephone line right-of-way and 46 KV powerline right-of-way (Grant NC-23960 RW) to the Orchard Valley Mine have also been previous- ly analyzed for NEPA compliance, The following environmental assess- ment concentrates on the proposed rights-of-way for the construction and operation of the Orchard Valley West Mine. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES A, Proposed Action Colorado Westmoreland Inc, proposes to construct an access/haul road along approximately 2,900 feet of the existing "Slouch Road", Grant kC-21682, originating at Steven's Gulch Road and culminating at the boundary of CWI's Coal Lease NC-37210. The total length of the proposed right-of-way would be approximately 2,900 feet and based on required cuts and fills, may reach 25~ feet in width. The road would traverse 30% to 60% slopes of a northeasterly aspect and then cross the saddle of the Fry Mesa ridge to slopes of a southwesterly aspect. The overall grade of