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• U.S. Forest Service concurred with the proposed mining plan <br />action in a letter dated March 21, 1996. <br />I have determined that the proposed areas of mining plan <br />approval are not unsuitable for mining in accordance with <br />section 522 (b) of SMCRA. <br />The permit revision area is located on Federal lands within <br />the boundaries of the Gunnison National Forest. However, <br />based on OSM's analysis and on the concurrence of the USDA <br />Forest Service, the surface operations and impacts of the <br />West Elk Mine are incident to an underground coal mine and <br />will not be incompatible with significant recreational, <br />timber, economic, or other values of the Gunnison National <br />Forest. <br />OSM has determined that approval of this new mining plan and <br />modification will not have a significant impact on the <br />quality of the human environment. The impacts of approval <br />of this mining plan action and alternatives are described in <br />the environmental analysis prepared by BLM and OSM for the <br />Coal Lease Application COC-56447 and other environmental <br />documents noted in the Finding of No Significant Impact <br />(FONSI) included with the decision document. <br />• The mining plan approval document included in the decision <br />document is in conformance with the Mineral Leasing Act of <br />1920, as amended, and applicable Federal regulations. I <br />recommend that you advise the Assistant Secretary, Land and <br />Minerals Management, under 30 CFR Part 746, that the MCC's <br />West Elk Mine mining plan action for Federal leases COC- <br />56447 and C-1362 is ready for approval. <br />II. Background <br />The West Elk underground coal mine is located in Gunnison <br />and Delta Counties, Colorado. The mine has been in <br />operation since 1982. About 108 acres have been affected by <br />surface disturbance to date. The total permitted area of <br />the West Elk Mine will contain about 8040 acres. The mining <br />operations utilize longwall and room-and-pillar mining <br />methods. The B and E coal seams will be mined at an average <br />production rate of about 6 million tons per year. No <br />additional surface disturbance in the mining plan areas will <br />result from this action. Mining is expected to continue for <br />30 years under Colorado Permit No. C-80-007 and this <br />proposed mining plan action. <br />The West Elk Mine mining plans for Federal leases C-1362, <br />C-0117192, COC-56447, D-044569 were initially approved <br />• on July 15, 1981. Since that approval there have been <br />four (4) mining plan modifications for those Federal <br />leases which were approved on August 15, 1985, <br />September 27, 1985, November 21, 1987 and December 22, <br />