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°a0e 3-21 Since 2001, federal rule-making and Forest Service interim directives have guided management and decision making in IRAs. At this time, no specific direction is currently in place. 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences Alternative 1 -Proposed Action The extraction of coal on the West Flatiron LBA tract would not introduce any noticeable land use change in the area. There would be no changes in the grazing activities on the LBA tract or surrounding areas. No coal methane drainage wells would be installed on the surface of the LBA tract. Subsidence would not alter the appearance of any area within the LBA tract. No surface facilities or surface construction are planned for the LBA tract. Cumulative Impacts: There would be no anticipated cumulative land use effects expected as a result of mining from the LBA tract. Grazing, mining, mining related activities such as the continued operation and installation of coal methane drainage wells in adjacent areas, and recreational activities would probably remain the dominant land uses in the immediate area of the LBA tract. Alternative 2 - No Action Under the no action alternative, the land use of the LBA tract would not change. However, mining and mining related activities would continue adjacent to the LBA tract. 3.8 Socioeconomics For socioeconomics, the project study area would include portions of Gunnison and Delta counties. The cumulative impact area would include those same areas. 3.8.1 Existing Conditions The West Flatiron LBA tract is located entirely in Gunnison County. Gunnison County receives approximately $2 million annually in tax revenues from the West Elk Mine, which is also located in Gunnison County. MCC is currently the largest property tax revenue source for Gunnison County. Socioeconomic impacts from the West Elk Mine, and presumably from any extraction of coal in the West Flatiron LBA tract, would generally be confined to Delta County (communities of Somerset, Paonia, Hotchkiss) since most workers at the West Elk Mine reside in Delta County. t' The February 2000 Final Environmental Impact Statement far the Iron Point Exploration License, Iron Point Coal Lease Tract, and Elk Creek Coal Lease Tract (Forest Service and BLM, 2000) provides a complete description of the socioeconomic environment in the area, with its focus on Delta County. Other socioeconomic information for the area is set forth in the February 2002 Coal Methane Drainage Project (Panels 16-24) EA (USDA Forest Service, 2002). Delta County has a population of approximately 29,000 residents and recent annual population growth has been approximately two to three percent. Based on April 1999 figures, the unemployment rate in Delta County was approximately 5.9 percent, more than twice the statewide average of 2.7 percent. Environrrertal Psscssment 1~Jest F12f~rnn LBH Tract Gunnis~~r. Count,,, .?olorado