GENERAL39459 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) reviewed the Resource Recovery and Protection Plan for compliance with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, 43 CFR Part 3480 and Federal coal lease C-1362. The BLM recommended approval of the mining plan in a memorandum dated August 8, 2007. The USDA Forest Service sought comments from the Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on threatened and endangered species. In a Biological Opinion dated August 2, 2007, the USFWS concurred with the U.S. Forest Service's Biological Assessment and that species-specific protective measures did not need to be developed for this mining plan modification. I have determined that the mining plan modification does not include any lands within an area designated as unsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining operations under section 522(6) of SMCRA. The proposed permit decision prepared by the regulatory authority demonstrate that reclamation as required by the Act and regulatory program is technologically and economically feasible. The mining plan area is located on Federal lands within the boundaries of the Gunnison National Forest. The USDA Forest Service determined that Mountain Coal Company, L.L.C.'s proposal requires a special condition to comply with Federal laws. Specifically, Mountain Coal Company, L.L.C must comply with the post mining land use directions • and protections for non-mineral resources contained in the USDA Forest Service's Record of Decision dated August 17, 2007, and attached hereto. Based on OSM's analysis and the USDA Forest Service Record of Decision dated August 17, 2007, and its formal concurrence dated October 15, 2007, there are no significant recreational, timber, economic, or other values of the Gunnison National Forest that would be incompatible with the proposed surface coal mining operation and the proposed operations and impacts are incidental to an underground coal mine. The State Historic Preservation Officer concurred with the proposed mining plan modification in a letter dated September 9, 2005. The Final Environmental Impact Statement entitled, Deer Creek Shaft mid E Seam Methane Drainage Wells Project (August 2007) prepared by the USDA Forest Service, with OSM and BLM as a cooperating agencies, describes the impacts that may result from approval of this mining plan modification and its alternatives. OSM, as a cooperator, has independently reviewed the EIS and concludes that its comments and suggestions have been satisfied; therefore, OSM adopts this EIS. A summary of the above described EIS is included in this decision document. The full EIS is available from Charles Richmond, Forest Supervisor, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison NFs, 2250 Highway 50, Delta, Colorado, 81416. •