Laserfiche WebLink
f <br />Hearina Transcript Comment 2: page ~, paragraphs 1 thru 4. <br />Response: There was no attempt in the environmental assessment to <br />• imply that both National Ring Coal and Blue Flame Coal could not <br />survive. The best available information at the time the <br />environmental assessment was prepared vas that there is not a <br />substantial enough market to support two mining operations at the <br />current production level of National Rinq Coal Adequate <br />opportunity was given both during the comment period and during the <br />public hearing to provide other information to dispute the <br />information set forth in the environmental assessment. No new <br />information was provided. <br />Hearina Transcript Comment 3: page 7, paragraph 5 and page 8, <br />paragraph 1. <br />• <br />• <br />Response: As stated in response to comment 2, there was no attempt <br />to imply that both mining operations could not coexist. In <br />addition, as was pointed out by Mr. Kershaw on page 19, paragraph 3 <br />of the hearing transcript, regardless of what information is set <br />forth in the environmental assessment, the lease offering is still <br />done by competitive bidding and the outcome of that bidding is <br />determined by the various participants, not by the environmental <br />assessment. <br />Hearina Transcript Comment 4: page 8, paragraphs 3 and 4. <br />Response: The-additional leases secured by National King Coal was <br />also mentioned in Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division's comment <br />1 and the environmental assessment has been changed to reflect the <br />current lease situation. <br />Hearina Transcript Comment 5: page 9, paragraph 5. <br />Response: There was no intent to imply in the environmental <br />assessment that National King Coal was the most economically viable <br />applicant. Any statements made of this nature are related to the <br />knowledge currently available from National King Coal. once again, <br />the economic viability of the Blue Flame mine is conditioned on <br />whether or not the company is the successful bidder in the <br />competitive bidding process. <br />arina Transcript Comment 6: page 10, paragraph 2. <br />Re~onse: There is nothing in either the environmental assessment <br />or the maximum economic recovery reports that in any way skews the <br />potential outcome of this leasing action. As stated in several of <br />the above responses, the economic development by anyone other than <br />National King Coal is dependent on the outcome of the competitive <br />bidding process for the proposed lease area. Therefore, awarding of <br />the lease to King Coal does not create a noncompetitive situation <br />any more than awarding the lease to any other successful bidder. <br />Hearina Transcript Comment 7: Page 12, 13 and page 14, first <br />sentence. <br />20 <br />