GENERAL30336

• Permit No: C1980004
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 5/13/2002
• Doc Name: MINE PLAN DECISION LETTER TO NEPA COMPLIANCE DOC
• Permit Index Doc Type: Other Permits
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

• Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) reviewed the
permit revision application under the Colorado State
program, the Federal lands program (30 CFR Chapter VII,
Subchapter D), and the Colorado cooperative agreement (30
CFR § 906.30). Pursuant to the Colorado State program and
the cooperative agreement, Colorado DMG approved the permit
revision on January 27, 1992.
OSM has consulted with other Federal agencies for compliance
with the requirements of applicable Federal laws, and their
comments and concurrences are included in the decision
document. The resource recovery and protection plan was
reviewed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for
compliance with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended,
and 43 CFR Part 3480, and BLM recommended approval of the
mining plan in a memorandum dated December 26, 1991. The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided its final
consultation comments under Section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act in a memorandum dated April 16, 1992. The State
Historic Preservation Officer concurred on March 5, 1992,
with OSM's February 27, 1992, assessment and recommendations
for protection of cultural resources.
I have determined that the proposed area of mining plan
approval is not unsuitable for mining in accordance with
• section 522 (b) of SMCRA.
The permit revision area is not on any Federal lands within
the boundaries of any national forest.
OSM has determined that approval of this mining plan will
not have a significant impact on the quality of the human
environment. The impacts of approval of this mining plan
and alternatives are described in the environmental
assessment included with the decision document.
The mining plan approval document included in the decision
document is in conformance with the Mineral Leasing Act of
1920, as amended, and applicable Federal regulations. I
recommend that you advise the Assistant Secretary, Land and
Minerals Management, under 30 CFR Part 746, that the GVCC's
McClane Canyon Mine mining plan for Federal leases
C-0125437, C-0125515, and C-0125439 is ready for approval.
II. Background
• The McClane Canyon underground coal mine is located in
Garfield County, Colorado, 20 miles north of Loma. The mine
was opened in 1977 and operated by Salt Creek Mining Company
until September 1992 when it was sold and the permit rights
assigned to GVCC.
. About 7.7 acres have been affected by surface disturbance to
date. Including the 2,312-acre permit revision area, the