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• U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <br />OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT <br />FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT <br />FOR <br />McClane Canyon Mine <br />Federal Leases C-0125437, C-0125515, C-0125439 <br />Mining Plan Decision Document <br />A. Introduction <br />Grand Valley Coal Company (GVCC), formerly Salt Creek Mining <br /> Company, has submitted a permit application package (PAP) <br /> for a permit revision for their McClane Canyon Mine to the <br /> Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) under the <br /> Colorado State program (30 CFR Part 906). The PAP proposes <br /> an increase of 2312 acres to the permitted area of the <br /> McClane Canyon Mine, including an extension of underground <br /> coal mining operations into about 2152 acres of Federal <br /> leases C-0125437, C-0125515, and C-0125439. Under the <br /> Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, the Assistant Secretary, Land <br /> and Minerals Management, must approve, approve with <br /> conditions, or disapprove the mining plan for Federal leases <br /> C-0125437, C-0125515, C-0125439. Pursuant to 30 CFR <br /> Part 746, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and <br /> Enforcement (OSM) must recommend to the ASLMM approval, <br /> approval with conditions, or disapproval of the mining plan. <br />• The McClane Canyon underground coal mine is located in <br /> Garfield County, Colorado, 20 miles north of Loma. The <br /> mine has been in operation since 1977. The underground <br /> mining operations utilize room and pillar mining <br /> methods with no pillar extraction. Coal has been mined <br /> from the Cameo seam at about 80,000 tons per year, but <br /> the mine currently is inactive. About 7.7 acres have <br /> been disturbed by the existing surface operations and <br /> facilities, which include a bench portal, face-up <br /> developments, and mine support trailers. A coal surge- <br /> pile also exists at the site. <br />When mining ceases, the portals will be sealed and <br />backfilled. The bench area will be graded to its <br />approximate original contour and appropriate drainage will <br />be established. The disturbed area will be topsoiled, <br />seeded and mulched to establish a vegetative cover of a <br />variety consistent with the naturally occurring vegetation <br />in the area. <br />The mining plan currently proposed by GVCC would extend the <br />life-of-mine underground mining operations into about 2152 <br />acres of leased Federal coal and 160 acres of private coal. <br />~ Production is proposed to increase to an average annual rate <br />• `, of about 1.2 million tons per year. Mining would continue <br />for about 25 years. The proposal also includes new surface <br />