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December 1. L ;03 appendix A Page A-1 UNSUITABILITY ANALYSIS AND REPORT Ark Land Company COC-67011 DESCRIPTION OF THE FEDERAL LANDS INVOLVED This unsuitability analysis and'report has been prepared for the West Flatiron Tract, a 688 acre tract of federal coal lands described as: T13S, R90W, 6th Principal Meridian, Sec. 12: Lots 8, 9, and 10; Sec. 13: Lots 2-7, 10-15; Sec. 24: Lots 4 and 5. This tract was identified as a result of a coal lease application submitted by Ark Land Company in June 2003 to mine the B seam of the Mesaverde Formation. The tract lies east of the town of Somerset in Gunnison County, Colorado. Of the 688 acres in the proposed lease tract the U.S. Forest Service manages the surtace of 568 acres, the BLM manages 40 acres and the remainder of the surface (80 acres) is owned by Mountain Coal Company; the mineral estate is federally owned. The tract lies adjacent to Ark Land's existing producing West Elk coal mine. As a first step in this analysis, the preliminary mining plan submitted by the applicant was examined in order to identify areas in which the proposed underground mining operation would produce surface effects. All of the areas identified as likely to be affected by subsidence were delineated as having surtace effects. No surtace facilities are proposed. The unsuitability criteria were then applied individually to the areas identified as having surtace effects. • Each criterion was applied individually and maps were developed showing the applicability of the criterion. Then after all criteria had been applied, the exceptions of each criterion found to be applicable were then examined to determine if the exceptions were also applicable. Finally, after the process had been completed, a summary, stating the conclusions of the report was written. In compiling this analysis and report, the unsuitability criteria published in 43 CFR 3461 were used. The unsuitability criteria were applied individually to the area being considered. Exceptions to certain criteria allow areas to be considered further even though they have been determined to be unsuitable. These exceptions to the criteria are noted where applied. \_ J ANALYSIS OF THE UNSUITABILITY CRITERIA Exemptions to the criteria are not described as no exemptions were determined to apply. Exceptions to the criteria are described only if they apply. Criterion 1 All Federal lands included in the following land systems or categories shall be considered unsuitable: National Park System, National Wildlife Refuge System, National System of Trails, National Wilderness Preservation System, National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, National Recreation Areas, lands acquired with money derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, National Forests, and federal lands in incorporated cities, towns, and villages. nvircrr.rer.tal Fsstsn~rnl 4n?e,tFiatiren i_f3i, -frart Gin:ni~on County, Cc4~ra~o