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March 2000 Record of Decision Paae 3
<br />resource management proposals within the area would have to be considered on their own
<br />merits in subsequent decision making.
<br />If the coal lease is issued and before any mining or surface development could occur, the
<br />lessee or operator would be required to submit a Permit Application Package (PAP). The
<br />Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) gives the Office of Surface Mining
<br />(OSM) primary responsibility to administer programs that regulate the surface effects of
<br />underground coal mining. Pursuant to Section 523(c) of SMCRA, the Colorado Department of
<br />Minerals and Geology (DMG) entered into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary of the
<br />Interior authorizing the Colorado DMG to regulate the surface effects of underground mining on
<br />federal lands within the state of Colorado. Pursuant to the cooperative agreement, a federal
<br />coal lease holder in Colorado must submit a PAP to both OSM and the Colorado DMG for any
<br />proposed coal mining and reclamation operation on lands within the state.
<br />As part of the Colorado DMG permitting process, a new mining and reclamation plan or an
<br />amendment to an existing plan would be developed to show how lands in the lease tract and
<br />private/other federal owned coal would be mined and reclaimed. Specific impacts that would
<br />occur during mining would be addressed in the permit or revision, and specific mitigation
<br />measures for anticipated impacts would be identified at that time.
<br />The OSM, BLM, Forest Service and other appropriate federal agencies would review the PAP
<br />to ensure that it complies with terms of the coal lease (including any special conditions of
<br />approval), the Mineral Leasing Act, NEPA, and other federal laws and their attendant
<br />regulations.
<br />The lessee or operator would be required to obtain numerous other permits and approvals prior
<br />to developing any coal. Please refer to the Final EIS, Appendix B, Agency Jurisdictions
<br />(Permits and Approvals).
<br />Overview of the Project Area
<br />The Elk Creek Coal Lese Tract (COC-61357) contains the following lands in Delta and
<br />Gunnison counties.
<br />T12S, R90W, 6" PM
<br />Section 31, lots 1 to 14, inclusive, and NE'/a;
<br />Section 32, lots 3 to 6, inclusive, lots 11 to 14, inclusive, and NW'/4.
<br />T12S, R91 W, 6'" PM:
<br />Section 35, all;
<br />Section 36, lots 1 to 17, inclusive, NE'/a, EY: NW'/<, SWY< NW'/a, and that part of
<br />HES No. 134 lying in the NW'/4 NWY<.
<br />T13S, R90W, 6"' PM:
<br />Section 5, lots 7 to 10, inclusive, 15, 17 and 18;
<br />Section 6, lots 8 to 17, inclusive.
<br />T13S, R91 W, 6'" PM:
<br />Section 1, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S'/z NW'/4 and SW'/.;
<br />Section 2, lot 1, and S'k NE'/<;
<br />Section 12, S'/z NE'/<, and NW'/a.
<br />The coal resource to be offered for lease is limited to coal recoverable by underground mining
<br />methods.
<br />8LM - E!k Creek Coa! Lease Tract
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