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March 2000 Record of Decision Page 11 IV. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT As required by NEPA (40 CFR 1501.7), the BLM/Forest Service provided for an early and open process to determine the scope of issues to be addressed and to identify the issues related to this EIS. Elements in the scoping process included the following: • Publication of a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS in the Federal Resister (dated April 13, 1999); • The description of the Purpose and Need, and the Proposed Actions including the nature of the decisions to be made; • The collection of existing data and information to address the two potential lease tracts and the exploration license area; • The initiation of public and government participation in the EIS process; • The determination of the type and extent of analysis to be used in the preparation of the EIS; • The identification of government agencies involved and appropriate responsible officials from the lead and cooperating agencies; and, • The plans for the preparation of the EIS, including selection of a format for the document and development of a schedule for EIS completion and publication. An EA document was originally prepared on the Elk Creek Coal Lease application. Relevant information from the EA has been incorporated into this EIS. In addition, the Delta/Montrose Public Land Partnership and North Fork Coal Working Group (NFCWG) sponsored several community meetings regarding coal development in the North Fork Valley. Issues, concerns, and comments identified in those meetings are also incorporated into this EIS. On April 22, 1999, the BLM and Forest Service held an agency scoping meeting to discuss this EIS. Representatives from the BLM, Forest Service, OSM, Colorado DMG, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Delta County, and Gunnison County were present. On April 28, 1999, the lead agencies met with representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On May 18, 1999, the lead agencies met with representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In addition, a project description and vicinity map were sent to the Northern Ute Tribe. The purpose of these meetings was to familiarize these various federal, state, and local agencies with the various aspects of the North Fork Coal EIS and solicit their input on any issues regarding the planned work and the proposals. As required by NEPA (40 CFR 1503), the general public, businesses, special interest groups, and government agencies were provided the opportunity to become informed and comment on this EIS process. The BLM and the Forest Service accomplished these goals by holding agency and public scoping meetings; public mailings; publishing of a Notice of Intent in the Federal Resister; forming an interdisciplinary (ID) team; and preparing a scoping document. The formal scoping process began on April 13, 1999 and ended on May 17, 1999. The BLM and the Forest Service held a public scoping meeting in Hotchkiss, Colorado on April 21, 1999. From hearing testimony and public meeting input as well as from written comments, issues specific to the two potential coal lease tracts and the exploration license application were summarized and used as part of the criteria for completing this EIS document. Issues were used by the ID team for developing and screening alternatives, and evaluating consequences of the proposed actions. A synopsis of the issues identified for the proposed lease tracts and exploration license area is set forth in Section 1.8, Issues and Concerns, of the EIS document. BLM -Elk Creek Coal Lease Tract