PERMFILE134363

• Permit No: C2008086
• IBM Index Class Name: Application Correspondence
• Doc Date: 12/7/2006
• Doc Name: Public Scoping Report for the Environmental Impact Statement
• From: BLM
• To: DRMS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

I, SECTIONONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
InUOduction
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
' for the proposed development of the Red Cliff Mine. The EIS will analyze the effects of the
proposed operations at the new underground coal mine on reserves leased from the BLM. The
EIS will provide analysis on the construction and operation of associated surface facilities
' including mine portals, coal preparation facilities, coal loading facilities, access roads and
conveyors, utility lines, coal refuse disposal and storage, offices, bath houses, and other
supporting infrastructure. It will also provide analysis on the construction and operation of a
' supporting railway line and impacts from expansion into adjoining coal reserves that would
support the capital investment and future operations of the proposed Red Cliff Mine.
' The BLM must develop the EIS in order to be compliant with the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA). It has been determined that an EIS will be prepared to analyze the potential
impacts of the Application for Transportation and Utility Systems and Facilities on Federal
Lands and Land Use Application and Permit, including the construction and operation of
facilities on the existing leases and potential future leases.
' Public involvement is a vital component of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
is an important step in the development of the Red Cliff Mine Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS). The first phase of the public involvement process is called the scoping period. NEPA
' defines scoping as an early and open process to gather information form the public and interested
agencies on the issues and alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS. This report summazizes the
issues identified during public and agency scoping meetings, and documents the results of the
' entire scoping process to date.
This report was prepared by URS for the BLM Grand Junction Field Office. For more
information, please contact Jane Peterson, BLM Project Manager, at (970) 244 - 3027.
' 1.2 PROJECT OVERVIEW
On September 27, 2005, CAM Colorado, LLC (CAM) filed an Application for Transmission and
Utility Systems and Facilities on Federal Lands with the BLM for aright-of-way (ROW) to
support the development of the proposed Red Cliff Mine. Subsequently, on Februazy 10, 2006,
CAM submitted a Land Use Application and Permit to BLM for this proposed underground coal
mine development project.
t The proposed Red Cliff Mine project azea is located approximately 11 miles north of the towns
of Mack and Loma, Colorado, and 1.5 miles east of Colorado State Highway 139. CAM is
proposing new portals and associated facilities to extract low-sulfur coal from Federal Coal
Leases C 0125515, C 0125516, and C 0125439, proposed federal coal leases, as well as a small
amount of private coal. In addition to locating facilities on the existing and proposed coal leases,
CAM would locate surface facilities on unteased BLM lands within the boundaries of the
proposed ROW and Land Use Application area, as well as a coal waste disposal area, power
supply, haul road, and a railway line that would connect to the existing Union Pacific Railroad
line near Mack, Colorado. The proposed railway line would traverse approximately 9.5 miles of
' BLM land, including one crossing of State Highway 139, and approximately 5 miles of private
land.
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