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i '000 ~ February 2000 Summary Pave S•5 - i ~9Y The Elk Creek Coal Lease Tract would also be mined by longwall techniques. The production on this tract would also be at 5 million tons per year from the D coal seam. - Under Alternative D, the applicant proposed to drill 25 exploration holes. Holes would be rotary drilled th to predetermined depths, cased as necessary, and the coal zone would be cored. Since the release of i the Draft EIS, the applicant requested shifts on some of the drill hole locations. These proposed relocations were not received in time to analyze in the EIS, or for the public to review and comment on them. However, the EIS examined the broader effects of exploration in the delineated license area, and can be relied upon to assess granting the license and approve spedfic hole locations originally submitted that were unchanged. S-2.3 Alternative C -Multiple Seam Mining This alternative is similar to Alternative B, with the indusion of additional B seam coal reserves in the Iron Point Coal Lease Tract, as well as additional surface area and reserves that are located between rve the Iron Point and Elk Creek Coal Lease tracts. An area was also added to the Iron Point Coal Lease Tract in the Terror Creek drainage to facilitate flexibility in locating entries beneath Terror Creek for is access to coal in the Bowie No. 1 'pod." In Alternative C, mining would be completed by longwall techniques, and coal production would be the same as outlined in Alternative B. S-2.4 Alternative D -Subsidence Protection This alternative would be essentially the same as Alternative C, with the limitation that there would be no subsidence under Tenor or Hubbard creeks, or the Curecanti-RiFle 230/345 kV electric transmission line. Based on continuing geologic analysis for the area, since the issuance of the Draft EIS, the t boundaries of the proposed Iron Point Coal Lease Tract have been modified. It appears that the B and s D coal seams thin and split into seams of unmineable thickness toward the northwest part of the tract. In addition, the continuing analysis indiptes that the igneous intrusions may have 'burned" portions of the B and D coal seams, leaving no mineable coal. Based on this revaluation of the lease tract, there are approximately 5 million tons of coal less in Alternative D than originally estimated in the Draft EIS. The re-alignment of the boundary also provides additional protection to Tenor Creek Ditch and Reservoir. S-2.5 Preferred Alternative ~n The responsible agendes have identified Alternative D as the a preferred alternative. Alternative D provides for leasing with standard spedal coal lease stipulations, subsidence protection under This ~ perennial drainages, and additional seams and acreage. In particular, the agendes have Bedded that protedion of perennial drainages would be necessary to maintain watershed integrity and ecosystem health, so provisions in Alternative D offer protection for perennial drainages by eliminating subsidence in those areas. Coal recovery for Alternative D would be estimated at approximately 60 million tons for the two lease tracts. d For the Iron Point Coal Exploration License, the preferred Alternative is D with the exceptions addressed in S-2.2, Alternative B -Proposed Action. Alternative B for the exploration license would ~ provide standard and spedal surface use stipulations to reduce potential surface impacts. •e ~ S-3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS =d ~ This section of the EIS describes both the existing cenditions of and the environmental consequences to the area and its resources. Resource descriptions focus on areas which would likely be affected by reasonably foreseeable mining and exploration activities. Final Environmental Impact Statement