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Purpose and Need Chapter 1 standards, fish and wildlife habitats and stable stream channels. Mineral activities may occur but must minimize disturbance to riparian areas and initiate timely and effective rehabilitation and restore them to a state of productivity comparable to that before disturbance. BLM Resource Management Plan The proposed coal leasing is in compliance with the existing Uncompahgre Basin RMP, which determined that the area subject to lease application was to be managed for both existing and potential coal development. 1.5 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS The following are previous environmental analyses completed to address resource impacts due to coal leasing in areas common to this DEIS: EA and Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI) for Federal Coal Lease COC-67011 (West Flatiron Lease), 2004. EA and Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI) for Federal Coal Lease Modifications COC-56447 and C- 1362, 200]. Decision Memo for Federal Coal Lease C- 1362, 1997. EA and DN/FONSI for Federal Coal Lease COC-56447 (Box Canyon Lease), 1995. 1.6 DECISION FRAMEWORK The GMUG Forest Supervisor is the NEPA responsible official for the Forest Service. This is a site-specific leasing analysis. The leasing decision would not authorize post-lease activities (such as road building, drilling, etc.). The Forest Supervisor must decide whether or not to consent to the BLM ]easing NFS lands according to the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1976. The Forest Supervisor must also prescribe terms and conditions (through lease stipulations) with respect to the use and protection of non- mineral interests. The decision framework acknowledges that future surface disturbing activities may occur during the life of the lease. Once a Record of Decision (ROD) is signed and released, and if the lease is sold and issued, the BLM would be responsible for lease administration and enforcement of lease terms and conditions. If the decision is made to offer the lease for sale, individual, site-specific post-leasing surface disturbing projects will be considered as necessary, and further NEPA analysis must be completed at the time those activities are proposed. The BLM Colorado State Director is the deciding official for the BLM and will decide whether or not to offer the Dry Fork LBA tract for competitive leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act, as amended, and the Federal regulations under 43 CFR 3400. The Uncompahgre Field Office Manager is responsible for providing the State Director with briefings and recommendations. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement will prepare the mining plan approval documents for the USDI Assistant Secretary approval. 1.7 PROPOSED ACTION The Proposed Action is to consent to leasing NFS lands in the Dry Fork LBA tract for underground development and production of Federal coal reserves, consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including terms and conditions for protecting non-coal resources. ArkLand submitted the Dry Fork LBA for about 1,533 acres of Federal coal reserves. The BLM prepared a Tract Delineation Report and accepted the tract boundaries. The BLM calculated the tract acreage to be about 1,517 acres (BLM 2004). Application of the Unsuitability Criteria for Coal Mining described in 43 CFR 3461 (see Appendix A) did not identify any lands in the tract as being "unsuitable" according to the criteria. Some restrictions were identified to except some of the criteria. These restrictions will be carried forward as stipulations on the coal lease (See Section 2.5.1). 1-6 Dry Fork Lease-By-Application DE/S