Laserfiche WebLink
' Pa <br />G 16-24 Wert E(k Mi <br />th <br />i <br />P <br />ct <br />C <br />l M <br />D TOC <br />i <br /> ra <br />nage <br />roje <br />- <br />ne <br />ne <br />oa <br />e <br />ane - <br /> <br />' TABLE OF CONTENTS <br /> Section Pare No. <br />' <br /> EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. ..........1 <br /> 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED ........................................................................................................... .......1-I <br /> 1.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... .......1-1 <br /> 1.2 PURPOSE AND NEED ............................................................................................................ .......1-2 <br />' 1.3 PROPOSED ACTION .............................................................................................................. .......1-3 <br /> 1.3.1 Minnesota Creek/Dry Fork Road Use ............................................................................... .......1-4 <br /> 1.3.2 Establish Sylvester Gulch Access Route ........................................................................... .......1-5 <br />' 1.3.3 Reconstruct or Improve Existing Roads and Construct New Roads ................................. .......1-5 <br /> 1.3.4 COOSVUCI Temporary Drill Pads ....................................................................................... .......1-6 <br /> 1.3.5 Drill and Complete MDWs and Drill and Log Exploration Drillholes ............................. .......1-7 <br /> 1.3.6 Operate the MDWs to Drain Methane from the Underground Mine Workings ................ .......1-8 <br />' 1.3.7 Plug and Seal MDWs and Exploration Drillholes and Reclaim Associated Disturbance .......1-8 <br /> 1.4 PROJECT SCHEDULE ............................................................................................................ .......]-9 <br /> 1.5 CONFORMANCE WITH LAND USE DESIGNATIONS AND PLANS ................................ .....1-10 <br />' 1.5.1 Federal Mining Laws ........................................................................................................ .....1-10 <br /> 1.5.2 State Mining Laws ............................................................................................................ .....1-11 <br /> 1.5.3 Forest Land and Resource Management Plan ................................................................... .....1-12 <br /> 1.5.4 Inventoried Roadless Area Management .......................................................................... .....1-13 <br />' 1.5.5 Roads Analysis Process .................................................................................................... .....I-14 <br /> 1.5.6 Related Environmental Documents ................................................................................... .....1-14 <br /> 1.6 DECISIONS TO BE MADE BY RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS .............................................. .....1-14 <br />' 2.0 ISSUES AND ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................................................2-1 <br /> 2.1 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ....................................................................................................... .......2-I <br /> 2.2 PROJECT ISSUES .................................................................................................................... .......2-1 <br />' 2.2.1 Issues Considered ............................................................................................................. .......2-2 <br /> 2.2.2 Issues Outside the Scope of This Analysis ........................................................................ .......2-2 <br /> 2.3 PROJECT ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................... .......2-4 <br /> 2.3.1 Alternative 1 - No-Action Alternative .............................................................................. .......2-5 <br /> 2.3.2 Altemative 2 -Sylvester Gulch/Long Draw Saddle Long-Term Access ........................... .......2-5 <br /> 2.3.3 Alternative 3 -Minnesota Creek/Horse Gulch Access ..................................................... .......2-6 <br /> 2.3.4 Altemative 4 -Sylvester Gulch Short-Term Access ........................................................ .......2-6 <br />' 2.3.5 Alternative 5 -Modify Plan to Comply with Lease Stipulations without Exception ....... .......2-7 <br /> 2.3.6 Public ATV Use Option .................................................................................................... .......2-7 <br /> 2.3.7 Summary Comparison of AI[erna[ives .............................................................................. .......2-7 <br />' 2.3.8 Altema[ives Eliminated from Further Study ..................................................................... .......2-8 <br /> 2.4 CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL ............................................................................................... .....2-10 <br /> 2.4.1 Road and Drill Pad Cons[ruction ...................................................................................... .....2-10 <br /> 2.4.2 Road Opera[ions ............................................................................................................... .....2-11 <br /> 2.4.3 Drilling and Venting ......................................................................................................... .....2-12 <br /> 2.4.4 Livestock .......................................................................................................................... .....2-13 <br /> Z.4.5 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................. .....2-13 <br />' 2.4.6 ATV Option ...................................................................................................................... .....2-14 <br /> 2.4.7 Reclamation and General .................................................................................................. .....2-14 <br /> 2.4.8 Conditions of Approval for Exceptions to Lease Stipulations .......................................... .....2-15 <br />' 2.5 PAST, PRESENT, AND REASONABLY FORESEEABLE FUTURE ACTIONS ................. .....2-16 <br /> 2.5.1 West Elk Coal Mine .......................................................................................................... .....2-16 <br /> 2.5.2 Past and Currently Approved Methane Drainage Activities ............................................. .....2-16 <br /> 2.5.3 Coal Reserve Leasing and Permitsing ............................................................................... .....2-17 <br /> 2.5.4 Past, Present, and Future Coal Exploration Dril]ing ......................................................... .....2-17 <br /> 2.5.5 Future Coal Mining-E Seam ........................................................................................... .....2-]8 <br /> <br /> EnviroamealalArrertrmnt <br />Ir-uv/,w..v. cec/e.ra,F r/~/oze, urrt <br />nrto:d. <br />