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• <br />United States Department of the Interior <br />--~~. <br />BUREAU OF LAND SIANAGE,'~fENT ~~ <br />UNCOSiPAHGRE BASIN RESOURCE AREA ~ i <br />4501 SOLTH TOWNSEND AVENUE <br />~fON'fROSE. COLORADO 81401 ~~ REPLY REFER TD: <br />3400 <br />COC-56447 <br />G. E. DiClaudio, President <br />Mountain Coal Company <br />West Elk Mine <br />P.O. Box 591 <br />Somerset, Colorado 81434 <br />Dear Mr. DiClaudio: <br />Thank you for the comments on the Box Canyon Environmental Assessment. The <br />objective of the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in completing an <br />Environmental Assessment is to protect the surface resources while allowing for <br />coal mining in an environmentally sound manner. Planning documents completed <br />by the FS and BLM dictated to a large degree the restrictions imposed on the lease <br />application area. In addition, the site specific EA'may require additional <br />stipulations. We want to make it clear that the BLM will not attempt to dictate <br />• how the Forest Service will administer the surface acreage for which they are <br />responsible. <br />You are correct in stating the stipulations may limit the lessees ability to recover <br />coal in the most economical and safe manner. We are aware that exploration and <br />surface facilities will be restricted or limited on a majori±y of the tract. On this <br />particular tract, the environmental conditions warrant the stipulations. The value <br />of the coal may be reduced due to increased costs of development andlor possible <br />reduction of recoverable reserves. <br />The stipulations listed in the O&G EIS are used for coal leasing hecause we feel <br />that although oil and gas has more surface disturbance, the impacts from coal <br />exploration are similar and within the scope of the stipulations. The Forest Service <br />tiered the stipulations utilized in the 1993 Oil and Gas EIS to the Box Canyon Traci <br />EA. As you pointed out in your letter the "Availability of areas for coal and <br />geothermal leasing and lands not analyzed in the 1993 Oil and Gas leasing EIS will <br />be determined on a case by case basis". The Box Canyon lease area requires a <br />leasing availability decision. The EA and Unsuitability Criteria Analysis are <br />providing the basis :,,,~ ;hat specific case decision. The 1983 Forest Land and <br />Resource Management Pfan provides for all leasable minerals to be leased utilizing <br />