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adequate for reclamation under State permit number C-81-033. <br />Including the permit revision area, the total permitted area <br />of the Bear No. 3 mine contains approximately 551 acres. <br />OSMRE has consulted with other Federal agencies for <br />compliance with the requirements of applicable Federal laws, <br />and their comments and concurrences are included in the <br />decision document. The resource recovery and protection <br />plan was reviewed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for <br />compliance with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, <br />and 43 CFR Part 3480, and BLM recommended approval in a <br />letter dated January 23, 1989. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service provided its biological opinion under Section 7 of <br />the Endangered Species Act in letters dated November 15, <br />1985 and March 3, 1989. The State Historic Preservation <br />Officer concurred with OSMRE's assessment and <br />recommendations for protection of cultural resources in a <br />letter dated October 3, 1985 (also see OSMRE's inter-office <br />memo dated February 3, 1989). <br />This mining plan approval will supplement the previous <br />mining plan approval for the Bear No. 3 mine. This mining <br />plan approval will be in conformance with the Mineral <br />Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and other applicable <br />Federal laws and regulations. <br />The mining plan approval document included in the decision <br />document reflects the mining plan as previously approved <br />along with this recommended mining plan action. The mining <br />plan approval document identifies the leased Federal coal <br />lands in the previously approved mining plan area along with <br />the leased Federal coal lands recommended for approval with <br />this action. <br />The proposed mining plan approval document contains one <br />special condition of approval. The condition deals with <br />mitigation of potential impacts, resulting from subsidence, <br />to potentially important cultural resource sites. <br />This mining plan action will not have a significant impact <br />on the quality of the human environment. The impacts of <br />approval of this mining plan modification and alternatives <br />are described in the Environmental Assessment included in <br />the decision document. <br />II. Background <br />The Bear No. 3 underground coal mine is located in Gunnison <br />County, Colorado, adjacent to the town of Somerset. Mining <br />operations utilize room and pillar mining methods. <br />Approximately 8 acres have been affected by the surface <br />disturbance to date. No additional surface disturbance will <br />result from this action. <br />