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r <br />HYDROLOGY AND WATER RIGHTS <br />C Affected Environment: There are no water supply intakes, or ground water supply wells within or inclose proximi[y <br />to the proposed coal lease modification area. The only surface drainage within the modification or adjacent areas is <br />Hawksnest Creek, a small ephemeral tributary to the North Fork of the Gunnison River. There is a spring and two stock <br />reservoirs north of the modification area. <br />Environmental Consequences & Mitigation: <br />o ed ti n: Subsidence under the drainage, stock ponds and spring will be small to undetectable <br />because of the overburden depth. The Sanbom Creek mining operations will not affect any existing surface <br />or ground water rights or users. No impact. <br />Alternative A; Since no additional surface or undergrour,.d disturbance would occur under the No-Action <br />Alternative, hydrology and water rights would not be affected. No impact. <br />Signature of specialist: Dennis Murphy <br />LAND STATUS/REALTY AUTHORIZATIONS <br />e to Environment: The surface and mineral estate within the proposed coal lease modification area are owned <br />by the United States and managed by the BLM-Uncompahgre Field Office. The only land use application on file for <br />these lands is the lease modification application that is the subject of this EA. There are no realty authorization on the <br />subject lands. <br />Environmental Consequences & Mitigation: <br />ro ed cti n• Since there are presently no existing land use applications or realty authorizations for the <br />proposed lease modification area, the Proposed Action would not impact land status or authorizations. No <br />impact. <br />Alternative ®; The.No-Action Alternative would not impact land status or authorizations. No impact. <br />Signature of specialist: Tom Hurshman <br />NOISE <br />Affected Environment: As a rural area, potential noise sources in the general area are limited and are generally <br />associated with various human activities including highway traffic, rail traffic, mining-related equipment operations, <br />and, to a lesser extent, agricultural activities. Given that the proposed lease modification area is approximately one <br />mile from the closest road or other human activity, noise within this area is not a Sig consideration. Noise associated <br />with ongoing mining operations and related highway and rail traffic is an important consideration for local residents. <br />Although noise is not regulated on a federal or state level, except in the workplace, the federal Department of <br />Transportation has established non-binding noise guidelines. Recent noise surveys conducted in proximit}• to Oxbow's <br />existing operations indicate full compliance with these federal noise guidelines. <br />Environmental Consequences & Mitigation: <br />Proposed ASS14it_ Because no surface disturbance is proposed or contemplated in conjunction with the <br />proposed coal lease modification, no incremental adverse noise impacts aze anticipa[ed. The proposed action <br />would result in leasing and subsequent mining of additional coal reserves, therefore, the life of the ongoing <br />Sanborn Creek mining operations would be extended by approximately 3 to 4 months and current noise <br />impacts associated with these operations would continue for the duration of active mining. These impacts <br />would include noise from surface coal handling equipment, train loading operations. and mining-related <br />highway and rail traffic. Noise directly related to mining operations, coal handling activates, and train loading <br />are controlled, to the extent reasonably feasible, by operational measures such as equipment and conveyor <br />I i- <br />