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Colorado MLRD has reviewed the permit revision application associated with this mining plan modification under the Colorado Stste program, the • Federal lands program (30 CFR Chapter VII, Subchapter D) and the Colorado cooperative agreement (30 CFR 906.30) and has recommended approval. Pursuant to the Colorado State program and the cooperative agreement, Colorado MLRD issued s proposed decision to approve the permit revision for the proposed operations at the Deserado mine on November 19, 1987. The decision became final on December 20, 1987. The PAP was reviewed by OSMRE, in consultation with other Federal agencies, for compliance with the Federal lands program, and all other requirements of applicable Federal laws. The resource recovery and protection plan was reviewed by the BLM for compliance with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and 43 CFR Part 3480. The mining plan approval document included with this memorandum will be in conformance with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), the Federal lands program and other applicable Federal regulations, and the Colorado cooperative agreement. I recommend that you advise the Assistant Secretary-Land and Minerals Management, under 30 CFR Part 746, that the Deserado mine mining plan, as modified, is ready for approval. Colorado MLRD hoe determined that no change is required in the current bond amount as a result of the proposed mining plan modification approval. I have determined that approval of the mining plan, as modified, will not • have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. II. Background Western Fuels-Utah, Inc. (WFU) proposed in the permit revision application to extend underground mining operations at the Deserado mine into Federal lease C-44693• The permit revision area associated with the proposed mining plan modification area contains approximately 344.3 acres, all of which is leased Federal coal. The Deserado surface coal mine is located in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, 9 miles north of Rangely. The mine has been in operation since 1981. The Deserado mine was originally permitted under the Colorado permanent regulatory program in July of 1981. Including the permit revision area associated with this mining plan modification, the Deserado mine permit area will contain approximately 9,496.3 acres, of which 6,784.3 acres will ba leased Federal coal in the mining plan area approved for Federal leases C-023703, D-047201, C-8424, C-8425, C-012669, and C-44693.