REV98716

• Permit No: C1981022
• IBM Index Class Name: Revision
• Doc Name: OXBOW CARBON & MINERALS INC COAL LEASE MODIFICATIO APPLICATION C-53510 COAL RIGHT OF WAY COC-59584
• Type & Sequence: PR3
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

or existing independent~eration. The United States shall rive the fair market value
of the coal contained in the modification and the R/W.
The BLM prepares an environmental assessment to analyze the potential impacts of the
proposed lease modification and R/W and then develops mitigating measures to be
included as lease and R/W stipulations. The BLM must also evaluate lease proposals
with respect to the coal unsuitability criteria developed by the Department of the Interior
in compliance with Section 522 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of
1977 (SMRCA) and 43 CFR 3461. The coal unsuitability criteria was also applied to the
proposed R/W area. This evaluation was done in conjunction with the Uncompahgre
Basin Resource Management Plan (1989) and the Uinta Southwest Utah EIS (1983).
See Appendix A for the application of the coal unsuitability criteria. The stipulations
resulting from the application of the criteria are included in the mitigation measure section
of this EA.
Following completion of the final EA, the Montrose District Manager will make the
decision to authorize or reject the R/W. The District will forward the modification
application, the EA, maximum economic recovery report (MER), Record of Decision
(ROD), 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 makes the decision approving the bond and issuing the lease.
Copies of the decision are then distributed to the BLM District Office, the Office of
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement and the Minerals Management Service
(MMS).
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) has agreed to
cooperate in preparing this EA. In addition, OSM has jurisdiction in recommending
approval of any mining plan that might result from BLM's leasing decision. The BLM,
though, must concur with OSM's recommendation to the Assistant Secretary concerning
the mining plan submitted to OSM by a successful bidder (lessee).
SMCRA gives OSM primary responsibility 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
Division of Minerals and Geology (CDMG) developed, and the Secretary of the Interior
approved, a permanent program authorizing CDMG 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,
CDMG entered into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary of the Interior
authorizing CDMG 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 must
submit permit application packages to OSM and CDMG for proposed mining and ^""'
reclamation operations on federal lands in the State. The CDMG reviews the packages
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