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• disturbance of about 1.8 acres resulting from construction <br />of an access road to the adjacent Munger Canyon mine. <br />B. Existing Environmental Documentation <br />In 1979, the Bureau of Land Management published the final <br />environmental impact statement (EIS), "West-Central Colorado <br />Coal Environmental Statement" which describes and analyzes <br />the environmental impacts that would result from approval of <br />six mining and reclamation plans on Federal and private <br />lands in west-central Colorado; one of those mining plans <br />included the proposed life-of-mine operations at the McClane <br />Canyon mine. <br />In May 1982, OSM prepared an Environmental Assessment for <br />approval of the mining plan for the McClane Canyon mine. <br />The Environmental Assessment described the environmental <br />impacts resulting from the mining and reclamation operations <br />in 248 acres of Federal lease C-0125439, which included most <br />of the surface facilities at the McClane Canyon mine and <br />development of the entries, mains and submains. <br />In November 1985, OSM prepared an updated Environmental <br />Assessment of the operations for approval of a mining plan <br />modification associated with termination of the Federal <br />permit and renewal of the State permit for the McClane <br />• Canyon mine. The permit conditions discussed in the 1982 <br />Environmental Assessment were resolved during the State <br />permit renewal. <br />OSM has reviewed the EIS and the attached environmental <br />assessments and has determined that both environmental <br />assessments describe the environmental impacts of the <br />existing surface facilities and current underground mining <br />activities. OSM has determined that, except as discussed <br />below, the proposed operations, the environmental <br />conditions, and description of environmental consequences <br />have not. changed since the EIS, and Environmental <br />Assessments were prepared. <br />C. Environmental Impacts <br />The proposed mining plan would cause about 1.8 acres of new <br />surface disturbance consisting of an access road to the <br />adjacent Munger Canyon mine. The 725-foot long access road <br />would be constructed along the edge of the Salt Creek <br />drainage bottom, which is used for rangeland and consists of <br />greasewood shrubland vegetation, common to the area. No <br />stream channels would be crossed. The vegetation would be <br />removed and the topsoil stripped and stockpiled. After <br />mining, the roadbed would be graded to its approximate <br />• original contour, the topsoil would be replaced and the <br />disturbed area would be revegetated consistent with the <br />vegetation of the area. GVCC has committed to undertake the <br />