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Coal Me7hane Drainage Projcd - Panek 76-74 Wort E!k Mine TOC - i <br />TABLE OF CONTENTS <br />Section Page No. <br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED ..................................................................................................................I-I <br />1.1 IN'I'RODUCT ION ....................................................................................................................... .....1-1 <br />1.2 PURPOSE AND NEED .............................................................................................................. .....1-2 <br />1.3 PROPOSED ACTION ................................................................................................................ .....1-3 <br />1.3.1 Minnesota Creek/Dry Fork Road Use ................................................................................. .....1-4 <br />1.3.2 Establish Sylvester Gulch Access Route ............................................................................. .....1-5 <br />1.3.3 Reconstmct or Improve Existing Roads and Construct New Roads ................................... .....1-5 <br />1.3.4 Construct Temporary Drill Pads ...................................................................:..................... .....1-6 <br />1.3.5 Drill and Complete iVIDWs and Drilt and Log Exploration Drillholes ............................... .....1-7 <br />1.3.6 Operate the MDWs to Drain Methane from the Underground Mine Workings .................. .....1-8 <br />1.3.7 Plug and Seal MDWs and Exploration Drillholes and Reclaim Associated Disturbance.. .....1-8 <br />1.4 PROJECT SCHEDULE .............................................................................................................. .....1-9 <br />1.5 CONFORMANCE WITH LAND USE DESIGNATIONS AND PLANS .................................. ...1-10 <br />1.5.1 Federal Mining Laws .......................................................................................................... ...1-10 <br />1.5.2 State Mining Laws .............................................................................................................. ...1-11 <br />1.5.3 Forest Land and Resource Management Plan ..................................................................... ...1-12 <br />1.5.4 Inventoried Roadless Area Management ............................................................................ ...1-13 <br />1.5.5 Roads Analysis Process ....................................................................................................... ..1-14 <br />1.5.6 Related Environmental Documents ...................................................................................... ..1-14 <br />1.6 DECISIONS TO BE MADE BY RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS ................................................ ...1-14 <br />2.0 ISSUES AND ALTERNATIVES <br />2.1 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT .................................................................................................. ............2-1 <br />2.2 PROJECT ISSUES ............................................................................................................... ............2-1 <br />2.2.1 Issues Considered ........................................................................................................ ............2-2 <br />22.2 Issues Outside the Scope of This Analysis ................................................................... ............2-2 <br />2.3 PROJECT ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................................. ............2-4 <br />2.3.1 Altemative 1 - No-Action Alternative ......................................................................... ............2-5 <br />2.3.2 Altemative 2 -Sylvester Gulch/Long Draw Saddle Long-Term Access ...................... ............2-5 <br />2.3.3 Alternative 3 -Minnesota Creek/Horse Gulch Access ................................................ ............2-6 <br />2.3.4 Alternative 4 -Sylvester Gulch Short-Term Access ................................................... ............2-6 <br />2.3.5 Alternative 5 -Modify Plan to Comply with Lease Stipulations without Exception .. ............2-7 <br />2.3.6 Public ATV Use Op[ion ............................................................................................... ............2-7 <br />2.3.7 Summary Compazison of Altematives ......................................................................... ............2-7 <br />2.3.8 Altema[ives Eliminated from Further Study ................................................................ ............2-8 <br />2.4 CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL .......................................................................................... ..........2-10 <br />2.4.1 Road and Drill Pad Construction ................................................................................. ..........2-10 <br />2.4.2 RoadOperations .......................................................................................................... ..........2-11 <br />2.4.3 Drilling and Venting .................................................................................................... ..........2-12 <br />2.4.4 Livestock ..................................................................................................................... ..........2-13 <br />2.4.5 Wildlife ........................................................................................................................ ..........2-13 <br />2.4.6 ATV Option ................................................................................................................. ..........2-14 <br />2.4.7 Reclamation and General ............................................................................................. ..........2-14 <br />2.4.8 Conditions of Approval for Exceptions to Lease S[ipula[ions ..................................... ..........2-15 <br />2.5 PAST, PRESENT, AND REASONABLY FORESEEABLE FUTURE ACTIONS ............ ..........2-16 <br />2.5.1 West Elk Coal Mine ..................................................................................................... ..........2-16 <br />2.5.2 Past and Currently Approved Methane Drainage Activities ........................................ ..........2-16 <br />2.5.3 Coal Reserve Leasing and Permitting .......................................................................... ..........2-17 <br />2.5.4 Past, Present, and Future Coal Exploration Drilling .................................................... ..........2-17 <br />2.5.5 Future Coal Mining - E Seam ...................................................................................... ..........2-18 <br />I PVT/M.ev. 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