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<br />The air quality is presently affected by dust resulting from the <br />mining and transportation of coal on the tcoo adjacent strip mines <br />and exhaust emissions from the equipment used in the mining and <br />---transportation. The ongoing operations have not lowered tilt air <br />'quality standards below acceptable state standards. <br />C. Topography, Geology and Paleontolorv - The proposed acrc•::rc is <br />situated in the eastern central portion of the eopo~ra~hic de- <br />pression, or intermontanc basin, called Norcli Park. Gently <br />rolling hills bisected by shallow valleys carrying intcrcit.tor,t: <br />streams typifies the site. (See map ~i2.) <br />• <br />The Soil Conservation Service (SCS), in evaluating its sail surv.•y <br />data concluded that no part of the acreage qualified as nn alluvial <br />valley. <br />The site is underlain by the Coalmont,Formation of the Cretaceous <br />or early Tertiary age. The Coalmont Formation in this vicinity <br />is characterized by dark-colored shale and sandstone beds con- <br />taining coal in the lower portions, while lighter-colored sandstones <br />and conglomerates are present in the upper portion. The main struc- <br />ture is the Johnny Moore Syncline, which dips steeply to flit cast.. <br />Typical of the Coalmont Formation is the absence of fossils. The <br />scarcity of vertebrate, invertebrate, and plant fossils was a <br />method used to age date the formation. <br />D. Minerals - <br /> <br />1 <br />I <br />i <br />i <br />1. Coal is one of the primary minerals of economic importance <br />within the proposed acreage. The specific coal information <br />concerning the coal of the Sudduth Coal Seam was described <br />in Section II of this EA. <br />The coal seam extends beyond the proposed lease area to tl~c <br />north and below the present recoverable depth of 300 feet. <br />Because of this, the potential for future leasing for surface <br />mining and/or underground mining exists. ' <br />2. Oil and gas is another mineral of economic importance iiz the <br />area. Two hundred and ninty acres on the west edge of the <br />proposed, lease tract are located within the Soutli 1.1cC:cllu::~ <br />Knocan Geologic Structure (KGS)., USGS has determined chat nt~ <br />coal is located Within the area .of overlap between the pr~pi~scd <br />coal lease tract and the KGS. These acres were needed for <br />surface use in conjunction with the mining operacimu. '1'hr'. <br />entire tract is covered icy. exi.s ti.ng oil and gas lea r.~s. (src <br />map h~6.) There are no producing wells within the Crnr~ Loiindary. <br />Continental Oil Company has several wc7. ].s wi.tltin a LnlC nil l~• <br />of the west boundary of L-he tract. <br />3. No other minerals'of economic importance ore known rr, occur <br />within the area. <br />9 <br />