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Western Rio Blanco and Moffat counties are currently showing a slow decline in population. This area is expected to receive little impact from oil shale or other energy development until after the year 2000 and to have some surplus labor available for jobs until that time. Capital improvement requirements would be small and the need to expand 1: acilities and services would not occur until development started. The existing work force would be able to handle any increased workload resulting from this emergency bypass Lease. Recreation There are no developed recreation sites within the application area, and there are no off-road vehicle (ORV) restrictions existing on the tract. The area is unclassified at the present time. IV. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES A. Proposed Action The following resources will not be impacted as a result of the proposed action: Minerals Locatable Minerals Saleable Minerals Range-Domestic Livestock Visual Floodplains and Wetlands Wilderness and Special Designations Recreation Introduction One of the areas of potential impact to other resources is subsidence caused by caving behind the longwall panels in the mine operation. Subsidence may reach the surface with maximum subsidence being projected to be 5 feet. In addition to the area directly above their workings subsiding, Western Fuels-Utah ,Inc. .predicts subsidence impacts to surrounding areas that lie within a 35 degree anRle,of draw. longwall mining will produce the most subsidence, but the subsidence will be (relatively) short-lived, lasting less than 5 years after mining. Room and pillar mining will minimize initial surface subsidence during room - advances and lower the surface an almost undetectable 0.025 feet cr less. Ninety-five to 98 percent of the subsidence resulting from longwall mining occurs during active mining. The remaining residual subsidence, 2 to 5 percent of the total, has been monitored for up to 4-1/2 years after cessation of mining. 12