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0 February 2000 Summary Pa a S-3 Under separate cover from the Final EIS, the BLM and Forest Service will issue Records of Decision regarding their respective decisions on the leasing applications and exploration license. In the Records of Decsion, the BLM and Forest Service may decide to: • Adopt the No-Action Alternative (no leasing and/or exploration license); • Adopt the Proposed Actions (lease the coal as applied for by the applicants and/or grant the exploration license); • Adopt an alternative with features of several of the alternatives; ory • Adopt one of the action alternatives with additional mitigation measures. The BLM Colorado State Director is the NEPA responsible signatory official for the BLM. The Forest Supervisor of the GMUG is the NEPA responsible offical for the Forest Service. If approved, the leases would be offered by competitive bid. If one or both of the coal leases are issued, no mining or surface development could occur on the tracts until the lessee or operator submits, and receives approval of a permit application package (PAP). Pursuant to a cooperative agreement between the OSM and the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG), a federal coal lease holder in Colorado must submit (and receive approval of) a PAP from both the OSM and the Colorado DMG for any proposed coal mining and reclamation operations on lands within Colorado. S-1.4 Issues and Concerns Scoping was conducted to focus the EIS on those issues and concerns considered important to the public and various government agencies. A Scoping Summary Document was prepared and made publically available in July 1999. ~, ~ The issues that are addressed in the EIS are as follows: • Air Quality: Identify and minimize air quality impacts; al Aquatic Resources/Fisheries: Minimize disturbance to fish habitat and fish populations; • Cultural Resources: Identify cultural resources and minimize disturbance impacts to these resources; • Cumulative Impacts: Address the cumulative impacts of leasing and exploration with other potential projects; • Geology/Geotechnical Issues/Subsidence: Identify geologic hazards on the lease sites and the potential for subsidence by underground mining activities; S • Health/Safety: Protect worker health and safety; • Land Use: Minimize disturbance; d Noise: Identify and minimize noise impacts; • Reclamation: Provide for reclamation of disturbed areas; • Recreation: Minimize disturbance to recreational opportunities; • Socioeconomics: Address the social and economic impacts on local residents of Delta and Gunnison counties; Final Environmental Impact Statement