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rate from the tract would be about 3 to 4 million tons per year, <br />but could vary with market demand and/or production being <br />satisfied in greater or smaller quantities from other federal <br />• leases. Mining on the tract could be completed in 3.5 years but <br />may take longer because mining would occur in conjunction with <br />the adjacent lease tract. Production at the 3.5 million tons per <br />year level would sustain a 20 to 25 year mine life for the West <br />Elk Mine. Expected employment at the mine, at the 3.0 to 3.5 <br />million tons per year and at full production level of 4 million <br />tone per year is 190 persons. In 1992, 1.4 million tons were <br />produced with 180 to 185 persons employed. <br />Compliance With the Land Use Plan <br />This application is in compliance with the existing land use <br />plan. The Uncompahgre Basin Resource Management Plan (RMP) was <br />completed and approved in July, 1989. The land uee plan <br />determined that the application area was to be managed for both <br />existing and potential coal development. The area is acceptable <br />for coal development and coal production could occur without <br />conflicting other land uses with a minimum of multiple use <br />restrictions as described in the RMP. <br />B. Alternative Two - Reiect Application (No-Action) <br />The second alternative is to not authorize a lease sale in <br />response to the competitive coal lease application submitted by <br />Mountain Coal Company. If the decision was to reject the <br />application, Mountain Coal Company would continue its present <br />• mining of the B seam bypassing the Jumbo Mountain Tract. <br />However, because access to the coal on the application lands <br />could be reached at the outcrop, the tract could be mined in the <br />future. Until the coal is mined in the future, not mining the <br />coal would represent a loss of revenue to the federal government <br />and a loss of potential energy (coal) to the nation as well. <br />Future mining from the outcrop is unlikely for the reasons stated <br />above in Part II. Not offering the federal coal reserves for <br />lease would shorten the West Elk Hine life by 3.5 years. <br />III. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT <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 Utah Coal EIS, 1983 Coal Unsuitability Report for the <br />Bookcliff and.Paonia/Somerset Coal Planning Areas within the <br />Uncompahgre Basin Planning Area, 1989, and the Uncompahgre Basin <br />Resource Management Plan EIS, 1989. <br />A brief description of the specific resources that are within the <br />Jumbo Mountain Tract is detailed below. <br />A. Minerals <br />• The Jumbo Mountain .Tract lies <br />which contains medium to high <br />deposits.. The main coal beds <br />in the Paonia-Somerset coal field <br />coal development potential <br />within the area are found in the <br />Page 5 <br />