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Federal lands with National Resource Waters, as identified by states in their water quality management plans, and a buffer zone of federal lands '/.-mile from the outer edge of the far banks of the water, shall be unsuitable. Analvsis None of the lands in the proposed lease tract are identified as a National Resource Water. Criterion 19 Federal lands identified by the surface management agency, in consultation with the state in which they are located, as alluvial valley floors according to the definition in Subpart 3400.0- 5(a) of this title, the standards of 30 CFR Part 822, the final alluvial floor guidelines of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement when published, and approved state programs under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, where mining would interrupt, discontinue, or preclude farming, shall be considered unsuitable. Additionally, when mining federal land outside an alluvial valley floor would materially damage the quantity or quality of water in surface or underground water systems that would supply alluvial valley floors, the land shall be considered unsuitable. Analvsis A potential Alluvial Valley Floor (AVFI on the proposed lease tract is the Quaternary Alluvium associated with the North Fork of the Gunnison River. This area has already been found to be unsuitable for coal exuaction under Criteria Number 16 - "Federal Lands in Special Floodplains". However, a concern remains that mining associated activities on other parts of the proposed ' lease could materially damage the quantity andror quality of water [hat supplies this AVF, due to the potential hydraulic connection between the AVF and Mesaverde Formation. Due to insufficient data, a determination can not be made until a mine plan for the area has been • submitted. At that time, the Regulatory Official will make a finding concerning possible material damage to the alluvial valley floor. As a result of the finding, some restrictions to the mining operations may be necessary. Criterion 20 Federal lands in a state to which is applicable a criterion (i) proposed by the state or Indian tribe located in the planning area, and liil adopted by rulemaking by [he Secretary, shall be considered unsuitable. Analvsis This criterion is not presently in effec[ in the Stale of Colorado. SUMMARY The Box Canyon Tract was determined to be suitable for coal mining following the application of Unsuitability Criteria Numbers 4, 5. 6, 7. 8. 10. 13. 17, 18, and 20. After the application of Criterion Number 16, the 100-year floodplain of the North Fork of the Gunnison River lapproximately 16 acres) is unsuitable for coal mining. Criterion Numbers 1, 2, 3, 9, 11, 12, 7a, 15 and 19 were found to be unsuitable far mining, however, after applying the exceptions to the criterion, they were suitable for mining with the following restrictions: • ^_riterion 1: The lands within Sec:~ons 14, 22, 23, and 26, T.13S., R.90W., 6th PM were Appendix i, Page 10