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Can/Tletbnne Drmna¢e Pzier! -Panels 76-24 LI%tt E/k Mine EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mountain Coal Company, LLC (MCC) owns and operates the West Elk underground coal mine, located near Somerset, Colorado on die North Fork of the Gunnison River. The mine currend}• produces approximately 6 million tons annually oflow-sulfur coal using high-capacity longwall mining methods. Land ownership (surface) in the mine area includes both fee lands and federal lands, managed by the Paonia Ranger District -USDA Forest Service (USFS), Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre- Gunnison Nadona] Forests (GMUG). MCC informed the GMUG on March 21, 200] that they were experiencing problems with excessive methane gas build-up in the underground mine workings which can result in potentially dangerous conditions, with the potential for underground ignitions or explosions. Normal mine ventilation and an extensive program of underground horizontal drilling to liberate and control the methane gas had not proven adequate to keep methane levels in an acceptable range. The USFS approved a program in 2007 of surface drilling to instal] large-diameter methane drainage wells (MDWs) in the active longwall panels (Panels 14 and ] 5) that proved very successful. To address methane control requirements for furore mining activities, MCC and the USFS developed a proposal to construct 54 drill pads and 70 MD\X/s on the National Forest. This proposal included construction of roads in the West Elk Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA). These activities would be initiated upon receipt of all required approvals and would be completed (including final site reclamation) in 2007. This Environmental Analysis (EA) discloses the environmental effects of the project proposal and identifies altematives, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Project scoping resulted in identification of issues and concerns relative to potential project-related impacts on geology, surface water, and ground water; wildlife and riparian resources; livestock and grazing; air quality; access and recreation; roadless character, and socioeconomics. The USFS reviewed the project proposal and scoping input and developed the following alternatives and options responding to both the project purpose and need and project issues identified through the scoping process. Alternative 7 - No-Action Alternative Alternative 2 -Sylvester Gulch/Long Draw Saddle Long-Tenn Access Alternative 3 -Minnesota Creek/Horse Gulch Access Alternative 4 -Sylvester Gulch Short-Term Access Alternative 5 - Modifi~ Plan to ComRly \X/ith Lease Stipulations Without Exception Ontion -Public A'I"V Use Option Alternative 7 - No-Action Alternative In the No-Action Alternative, the proposed coal methane drainage project would not be approved. The existing renting mechanisms, along with the previously completed MDWs, would allow production of approximately 3.5 million tons of coal from current active mining panels in 2002. Production beyond 2002 would not be economically viable. Loss of economic viability would result in closure of the mine or the mine operation changing to care and maintenance status. No new road construction, road rehabilitation, drill pad construction, surface drilling, or vertical methane drainage Envirann~enlolA.rrer,rment ".P9/Alwnrmn luJ Cn/G1/Dra(r 3/!/~a2Ff lrSFy ~/5/U?flu