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Record of Decision <br />Dry Fork Federal Coal Lease-by-Application (COC-67232) <br />USDA Forest Service <br />Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Forests <br />Gunnison County, CO <br />T. l3 S., R. 90 W., 6ib P.M. Sec. 35, lots 5-7, inclusive and lots 9-16, inclusive, less and except land in leases <br />C-1362, and COC56447, as modified; Sec. 36, W'h SW'/aNW'/e, and W'/zSWy, less and except land in lease <br />COC56447, as modified. <br />T. 14 S., R. 90 W., 6'" P.M. Sec. 1, lots 3, 4, S'/zNW'/a, SW'/a, WYzNW'/~SEYs, and SW'/aSE'/a; Sec. 2, lots 1-4, <br />inclusive, S'/zl`IYz, and Sh; Sec. l 1, N'/zN'/z; Sec. 12, N'/iNW'/s, and NW'/aNE'/a. <br />I. Decision and Reasons for the Decision <br />A. Background <br />An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been prepazed that analyzes the surface impacts <br />of leasing a tract of federal coal reserves for underground coal mining. In September 2003, The <br />USDI-Bureau of Land Management-Colorado State Office (USDI-BLM) and the USDA-Forest <br />Service (USDA-FS) received a competitive Coal Lease-by- Application (LBA) for the federal <br />coal reserves in the Dry Fork LBA tract from ArkLand Company. The application was for coal <br />reserves adjacent to existing leases and underground workings of Mountain Coal Company's <br />(MCC) West Elk Mine neaz Somerset, in Gunnison County, Colorado. MCC and ArkLand aze <br />subsidiaries of Arch Western Resources, LLC. The BLM participated in the EIS as a joint <br />agency, and the USDI-Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) <br />participated as a cooperating agency. <br />The lease application contains National Forest System (NFS) lands administered by the USDA- <br />Forest Service, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG). The coal <br />in [he Dry Fork LBA tract is administered by the BLM, Uncompahgre Field Office. The lease <br />application contains about 1,517 acres of federal coal lands with about 17 million tons of <br />recoverable reserves. <br />The purpose and need for [his federal action is to lease additional federal coal reserves in the Dry <br />Fork LBA tract for economic development and production of the coal, consistent with applicable <br />laws and regulations. The Forest Service is responsible for making lands available for the BLM <br />to consider leasing for coal resource recovery as is consistent with the land and resource <br />management plan. The Forest Service is also responsible for prescribing terms and conditions <br />for the use and protection of non-coal resources. The environmental impact statement (EIS) <br />documents the analysis of 3 alternatives to meet this need. <br />B. Decision <br />Based upon my review of all alternatives, I have decided to implement Alternative B -Proposed <br />Action, which consents [o the BLM leasing 1, 517 acres NFS lands in the Dry Fork LBA tract for <br />