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the: income and employment effects of the mine would be for a longer period.• At the estimated production level of 4.0 million tons per year of federal coal, 190 employees vould be needed t.o mine the coal. The mine presently employs 180 to 185 people. V. B. gitern:itive Two - No Action Environmental Conseouencea There are no known additional impacts to tie following resources: climate, air quality, recreation, soils, aineral.resources, water resources, vegetation, wildlife, land use, cultural or visual resources. If the lease ie not granted, there is a high likelihood that the coal would never be mined. In that case, this alternative rould result in a loss of production to the nation of 10 million tons of coal. it would be done at a higher cost due to the need for reentry. While the economic benefits of Alternative One might still be enjoyed, they would be achieved at a higher cost and hence, le::s efficiently. Or the bypassed coal may never be mined due to technical difficulties and economic constraints. If t:he coal in the proposed lease area is mined at another date, There axe no Mitigation Measures or Residual Impacts resulting from Alternative Two. With rea:pect to bald or golden eagle: nests which may be establie~hed on the review area during the life oP the project, the following shall be applied. No new permanent surface facilities or disturbances shall be located within a 1/4 mile radius buffer zone around each bald or golden eagle nest site. No surface activities would be allowed within a i/4 mile radius buffer zone around each eagle nest site from March 1 to July 1. Any proposed activities in, or adjacent to, these buffer zones (except routine maintenance) will require approval from the BLH, on a site-specific basis, after consultation with the USFWS. Because the presence of Grand Mesa Penstemon has been documented in elevations above 7300 feet, a Threatened and Endangered plate. survey will be required prior to any surface disturbance. To protect and preserve breeding and nesting habitat for the Loggerhead shrike, disturbances in sagebrush and oak stands should be avoided to the extent possible. Where pot>sible avoid surface disturbance to areas overlain by the Fughes loam soil series. As part of the Mine and Reclamation Permit Application Package, the lessee shall furnish to the Regulatory Officer at the Office of Suxfac:e Mining, an estimate of the average annual water depletion: resulting from the proposed action. This will require the project proponents one-time contribution to the Recovery Page 15