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~es;er'nber L 20J3 E'nge 2-4 2.4 Alternatives 2.4,1 Alternative 1 -Proposed Action Alternative Under the proposed action alternative, -the West Flatiron LBA tract would be offered for lease by competitive bid. The tract would be offered with special coal lease stipulations for the protection of non- coal resources as determined through the NEPA process, in addition to the BLM Standard Lease Terms, and terms of the Standard Stipulation for Lands Under the Jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This alternative assumes that the successful bidder would extract coal in the lease tract using underground longwall methods. This alternative is consistent with the GMUG LRMP and fhe BLM RMP. Also see Section 2.1, Proposed Action. 2.4.2 Alternative 2 - No Action Alternative Under the no action alternative, the West Flatiron LBA tract would not be offered for competitive sale at this time. Federal mineable coal in the LBA tract would not be mined. If the decision would be not to lease, it is assumed that MCC would continue its present longwall coal mining activities at the West Elk Mine. The coal resources in the leased area would not be extracted, and the economic benefits from coal mining (royalty payments, tax payments, etc.) on the LBA tract would not be realized for federal, state and local agencies, as well as to the MCC workforce. Implementation of the no action alternative would not cause a cessation of mining activities at the West Elk Mine, nor would it be expected to alter present and expected coal mining trends in regional energy development. Current resource trends and land uses in the region would continue. Natural processes and existing land uses would continue. 2.5 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated From Detailed Evaluation 2.5.1 Room antl Pillar Mining (NO longwall Mining) of West Flatiron LBA Tract The impacts of room and pillar mining were not assessed for the West Flatiron LBA tract. This alternative was considered but not analyzed given the current reasonable expectation that coal in the LBA tract would be recovered by longwall mining techniques. If a successful lessee decides that mining should be completed solely by room and pillar methods, it might be necessary to undertake additional environmental analysis to determine mining impacts, especially the subsidence potential, which would be different than longwall induced subsidence. 2.5.2 Accessing Coal in West Flatiron LBA Tract Through Separate Surface Facilities Accessing the federal coal reserves in the West Flatiron LBA tract through portal and coal handling facilities separate from the MCC facilities would not be feasible, as the coat does not outcrop in the area. Given that the West Flatiron LBA tract is immediately adjacent to the West Elk Mine and that minor amounts of recoverable coal resources exist in this tract, it is unlikely that any other mining firms besides MCC would be able to economically extract this resource. This alternative was considered but not rn~irnr~menl'ed Fssessrne;nt ~Ptest F'a5ror~~ LEA Tr2rt Gunr;ison Coup?„ Ccloracic •