PERMFILE137694

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 7/15/2002
• Doc Name: Environmental Assessment, Panels 16-24
• Section_Exhibit Name: Exhibit 80 Drilling Activities - TR96
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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

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