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Land and Minerals Management. Before the minting plan can be approved, BLM, USFS and the surface-managing agency (if other than BLM or US FS) must • concur with this recommendation. The CDMC enforces the performance standards and permit requirements during the mine's operation and has primary authority in environmental emergencies. The OSM retains oversight responsibility for this enforcement. The BLM has authority in those emergency situations where CDMC or OSM inspectors cannot act before significanC environmental harm or damage occurs. The information submitted in the coal lease application by Mountain Coal Company does not constitute a formal underground mining permit application. It has been used in order to develop an impact analysis. Its use is intended to illustrate one possible plan for developing federal coal reserves on this tract and does not imply that Mountain Coal Company would be given any preference in the event that a lease sale is held, In addition, it does not imply that the mining permit application developed from these preliminary plans would comply with the regulations or be approved by the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology if a lease sale were held and Mountain Coal Company obtained the lease. Any plan which is ultimately submitted must comply with all applicable state and federal regulations as described above before it can be approved. • Pub11c Involvement Scoping was completed for this action. A notice was published in the Federal Register and a local newspaper. .~ public hearing was held on December 5, 1994 in Paonia, Colorado. Comments were received concerning the Box Canyon riparian area, mitigation measures, and the economic recovery of the coal resources. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION The proposed action is to o'_fer for competitive lease 2764,67 acres o£ B and D/E Seam coal reserves in the Box Canyon Tract as requested by Mountain Coal Company. There are r~o alternatives associated with this EA: Alternative One - the proposed action is to lease the Box Canyon Tract and Alternative Two - No. Action is to deny the lease application. The preferred alternative is to lease the tract. There are two possibilities under Alternative One, If Mountain Coal Company was the successful bidder, the coal lease could be developed from their existing operation (:lest Elk Mine), If another party was the successful bidder, tvo scenarios are possible. Eicher the lease could be subleased and developed by Mountain Coal Company or a new portal could be constructed, Because the D/E coal seam outcrops on the tract, it is conceivable that a new operation with portal and surface facilities could be constructed on this tract, However, the D/E seam appears co be unmineable at the outcrop because the coal bed is thin and the roof conditions are bad,' It, is not likely that it would be feasible to construct another ~-