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hats been completed and is contained in Appendix I. Approximately 16 acres <br />of the lease are unsuitable for coal mining due co the North Fork of the • <br />Gunnison River floodplains and approximately 160 acres are unsuitable for <br />surface disturbances due to riparian habitat in Box Canyon that support <br />priority habitat for migratory bird species of high federal interest. <br />After application of the exceptions to the Criterion approximately 16 acres <br />cannot be undermined and there are 160 acres with no surface occupancy. <br />Further restrictions may apply if conditions warrant such as described in <br />the mitigation measure section of this document. <br />The September, 1991, Amended Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) <br />fo:r the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests made <br />provisions for coal leasing subject to the application of the Coal <br />Unsuitability Criteria (See Appendix 1 for the Application of the Coal <br />Un:>uitabllity Criteria). The LRMP also provides for applicahle <br />stpulations to be utilized for protection of specific surface resources in <br />Section III, General Direction, pages 63-69. The Record of Decision for <br />the Oil and Cas Leasing Final Environmental Impact Statement signed an <br />April 19, 1993 by Robert L. Storch considered surface resources in various <br />Affected Environments and amended the 1991 LRMP with regards to oil and gas <br />leasing stipulations. The proposed coal lease area contains Affected <br />Environments considered in chat EIS and since activities associated with <br />coal mining are similar to activities related co oil and gas operations, <br />the effects analysis in the Oil and Cas EIS adequately describes the <br />effects of [he activities associated with coal mining in the proposed coal <br />lease tract. Stipulations from that EIS are applicable to this lease <br />'proposal (only the stipulations for the Affected Environments present in <br />the Box Canyon tract apply). As a result of the LRMP, approximately 1,130 <br />acres have no surface occupancy stipulations and 1,235 acres have seasonal <br />and,/or controlled surface use stipulations. <br />Alternative Tvo - Reject Application (No-Action) - <br />The second alternative is co not authorize a lease sale in response to <br />the competitive coal lease application submitted by Mountain Coal Company. <br />If t:he decision was to reject the application, Mountain Coal Company would <br />continue its present mining of the B and D/£ seams bypassing the Box Canyon <br />Tract. However, because access to the.coal on the application lands could <br />be reached at the outcrop, the tract could be mined in the future. Until <br />the coal is mined in the future, not mining the coal would represent a loss <br />of revenue to the federal government and a lass of potential energy (coal) <br />co the nation as cell. Fu cure mining from the outcrop is unlikely for the <br />reasons stated above in the desripcion of the alternatives. Nat offering <br />the federal coal reserves for lease would shorten the West Elk Hine life by <br />10 years. <br />IIZ. AFFECTED ENVIP,ON?SE!iT <br />A detailed description of the existing environment can be found in the <br />West Elk Mine and Reclamation Plan, 1991; West Central Coal EIS, 1979; <br />Uinta Southwest Ucah Coal EIS, 1983; Coal Unsuitability Report for [he • <br />Book<:liff and Paonia/Somerset Coal Planning Areas within the Uncompahgre <br />- ~ Basin Planning Area, 1989; the Uncompahgre Basin Resource Management Plan ~ ' <br />9 <br />