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rate from the tract would be about 3 to 4 million tons per year, <br /> but could vary with market demand and/or production being <br /> satisfied in greater or smaller quantities from other federal <br /> • leases. Mining on the tract could be completed in 3.5 years but <br /> may take longer because mining would occur in conjunction with <br /> the adjacent lease tract. Production at the 3.5 million tons per <br /> year level would sustain a 20 to 25 year mine life for the West <br /> Elk Mine. Expected employment at the mine, at the 3.0 to 3.5 <br /> million tons per year and at full production level of 4 million <br /> tons per year is 190 persons. In 1992, 1.4 million tons were <br /> produced with 180 to 185 persons employed. <br /> Compliance With the Land Use Plan <br /> This application is in compliance with the existing land use <br /> plan. The Uncompahgre Basin Resource Management Plan (RMP) was <br /> completed and approved in July, 1989. The land use plan <br /> determined that the application area was to be managed for both <br /> existing and potential coal development. The area is acceptable <br /> for coal development and coal production could occur without <br /> conflicting other land uses with a minimum of multiple use <br /> restrictions as described in the RMP. <br /> B. Alternative Two - Reiect Application (No-Action) <br /> The second alternative is to not authorize a lease sale in <br /> response to the competitive coal lease application submitted by <br /> Mountain Coal Company. If the decision was to reject the <br /> application, Mountain Coal Company would continue its present <br /> • mining of the B seam bypassing the Jumbo Mountain Tract. <br /> However, because access to the coal on the application lands <br /> could be reached at the outcrop, the tract could be mined in the <br /> future. Until the coal is mined in the future, not mining the <br /> coal would represent a loss of revenue to the federal government <br /> and a loss of potential energy (coal) to the nation as well. <br /> Future mining from the outcrop is unlikely for the reasons stated <br /> above in Part II. Not offering the federal coal reserves for <br /> lease would shorten the West Elk Mine life by 3.5 years. <br /> III. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT <br /> A detailed description of the existing environment can be found in the <br /> West Elk Mine and Reclamation Plan, 1991, West Central Coal EIS, 1979, <br /> Uinta Southwest Utah Coal EIS, 1983 Coal Unsuitability Report for the <br /> Bookcliff and Paonia/Somerset Coal Planning Areas within the <br /> Uncompahgre Basin Planning Area, 1989, and the Uncompahgre Basin <br /> Resource Management Plan EIS, 1989. <br /> A brief description of the specific resources that are within the <br /> Jumbo Mountain Tract is detailed below. <br /> A. Minerals <br /> • The Jumbo Mountain Tract lies in the Paonia-Somerset coal field <br /> which contains medium to high coal development potential <br /> deposits. The main coal beds within the area are found in the <br /> Page 5 <br />