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<br />Summary Description of Proposed Actions in Inventoried Roadless <br />Areas <br />Operations are proposed on two existing federal coal leases and one federal coal lease <br />tract scheduled for sale in January 2007 on the Gunnison National Forest. Portions of the <br />leases are in the West Elk Inventoried Roadless Area (West Elk IRA), generally east of <br />Paonia, CO. Approximately 2.5 miles of road construction is proposed on these leases in <br />the West Elk IRA. The road construction is necessary for access to 21 sites for methane <br />drainage wells. Twelve of these sites would be in the IRA. No actions are being <br />proposed on the IRA portion of the lease scheduled for sale. Roads proposed in the IRA <br />would he for project and administrative use only, and would not be available for public <br />use. <br />The accompanying map shows the E Seam Methane Drainage project proposed action, <br />and previously approved methane drainage activities. <br />Compliance with the Roadless Area Conservation Rule <br />Roads associated with methane drainage wells may be constructed or reconstructed in the <br />West Elk IRA under two exceptions to the RACR. <br />Exception No. 1 -protection of public health and safety in the cases of imminent threat <br />that without intervention would cause toss of life or property. <br />• High levels of methane gas in the mine create unsafe working conditions for <br />miners and must he reduced to acceptable levels under MSHA rules. <br />• High levels of methane gas in the mine can lead to loss of federal properly if the <br />leased, mineable coal is destroyed through explosive or thermal events and cannot <br />be mined. <br />• The only way to reduce methane to safe and acceptable levels is to install the <br />methane drainage wells, which require temporary roads. <br />• Exception applies to all proposed road construction associated with methane <br />drainage wells on all IRA lands included in the federal coal leases on which <br />operations are proposed. <br />Exception No.7 -continuation, extension, renewal of a mineral lease on lands that <br />were under lease as of 1/12/2001 <br />• The roads to access methane drainage wells are needed for coal mining operations <br />and continuation of leases on lands that were under lease as of 1/12/2001. <br />• Exception applies to proposed road construction associated with methane <br />drainage wells on all IRA lands included in the federal coal leases on which <br />operations are proposed extent fora 160-acre lease modification which extended <br />lease COC-001362 on Oct. 15, 2001. (See details about ]eases under Lease <br />Information below.) <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />