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C-Iq~a -Do7 <br />~.~.:. y <br />~. United States Forest <br />Department of Service Paonia <br />Ranger District P.O. Box 1030 -{-y~ p <br />N Rio Grande Ave. l l'L- <br /> Agriculture PHONE NO. 970-527-4131 Paonia, CO 81428 <br /> FAX 970-527-4151 <br />SCANNED <br />Mr. Jim Burnell <br />Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology <br />1313 Sherman St. <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />Dear Jim, <br />MAy o a 2oo'i <br />pi~ision of Minerals and Geology <br />The Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) has reviewed to the extent possible <br />Mountain Coal Company's (MCC) Technical Revision 96 (TR-96). As you are aware, Che GMUG is <br />presently conducting the required analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the <br />activities associated with TR-96. The environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared and reviewed by <br />the public. We are currently in process of preparing the associated decision document, which will be <br />subject to public appeal before implementation can occur. Therefore, our review at this time is simply to <br />ensure that the TR-96 submittal by MCC matches that which we are analyzing in our NEPA process. We <br />will not be able to provide final concurrence to TR-96 until our NEPA decision has been made and <br />through the public appeal period. <br />In our review we find the following items to be discrepant between TR-96 and the EA. The map <br />submitted with TR-96 (Panels 1 G-24 Methane Drainage, dated February 20, 2002), and the map in the EA <br />( Map MI Project Area Activities with Surface Stipulations, dated March 20, 2002 revision 6} show <br />different road alignments for the proposed Sylvester Road. The Sylvester Road alignment shown on the <br />TR-96 map depicts an alignment that was rejected by the GMUG (see attached letter dated February 7, <br />2002). The TR-96 submittal does not show spur roads to the drill pads as were shown on map M1 of the. <br />EA. <br />In addition, -9G references 55 drill pads and 71 methane drainage wells (MDW), while the EA <br />proposes 54 ili pads, and 70 MDWs. The sentence in the Pre-Drilling Activities section of TR-96 <br />stating "movement of equipment across undisturbed land would be kept to a minimum" should be <br />chagged to state `disturbance of land for road and drill pad construction will be confined to areas <br />approved for construction'. Also of note is [hat cross-country travel off existing roads and trails is <br />prohibited under the Gunnison Interim Travel Restrictions. Prohibition of cross country travel has also <br />been a Condition of Approval on all the previous MDW installation approvals. <br />Again, we are unable to provide final concurrence to TR-96 until completion of our NEPA process. It <br />will be necessary for MCC to revise their submittal to reflect the items noted here. If you have any <br />questions, please do not hesitate to contact Liane Mattson of my staff at (970) 527-4131. <br />Sincerely, <br />~~ ~ ~~ea~ <br />SUSAN J. SPEAR <br />Disffict Ranger <br />cc: Phil Schmidt, MCC <br />File Code: 2820-~~~~~E® <br />Date: May <br />~S Caring for the Land and Serving People a,miea o~ Rewoiza aaoe~ ~M <br />