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Canll,9ethane Drmnoge Projea - Panek 1G24 lF'ert E!k Mme • Page 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mountain Coal Company, LLC (MCC) owns and operates the IX/est Elk underground coal mine, located near Somerset, Colorado on the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The mine currently produces approximately 6 million tons annually of ]ow-sulfur coal using high-capacity longwall mining methods. Land ownership (surface) in the mine area includes both fee lands and federal lands, managed by the Paonia Ranger District -USDA Forest Service (USFS), Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre- Gunnison National Forests (GMUG). MCC infoxmed the GMUG on March 21, 2001 that they were esperienung problems with excessive methane gas build-up in the underground mine workings which can result in potentially dangerous conditions, with the potential for underground ignitions or explosions. Norma] mine ventilation and an extensive program of underground horizontal drilling to liberate and control the methane gas had not proven adequate to keep methane levels in an acceptable range. The USFS approved a program in 200] of surface drilling to install large-diameter methane drainage wells (1VIDWs) in the active ]ongwall panels (Panels ]4 and 15) that proved very successful. To address methane control requirements for future mining activities, MCC and the USFS developed a proposal to construct 54 drill pads and 70 MDWs on the National Forest. This proposal included construction of roads in the \Uest Elk Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA). These activities would be initiated upon receipt of all required approvals and would be completed (including final sire reclamation) in 2007. This Environmental Analysis (EA) discloses the environmental effects of the project proposal and identifies alternatives, in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Project scoping resulted in identification of issues and concerns relative to potential project-related tmpacts on geology, surface water, and ground water; wildlife and riparian resources; livestock and grazing; air quality; access and recreation; roadless character, and socioeconomics. The USFS ' reviewed the project proposal and scoping input and developed the following alternatives and options responding to both the project purpose and need and project issues identified through the scoping process. Alternative ] - No-Action Alternative Alternative 2 -Sylvester Gulch/Long Draw Saddle Long-Term Access Alternative 3 -Minnesota Creek/Horse Gulch Access Alternative 4 -Sylvester Gulch Short-Term Access Alternative 5 - Modifi~ Plan to Comply With Lease Stipulations Without Exception Ondon -Public ATV Use Option Alternative 1 - No-Action Alternative In the No-Action Alternative, the proposed coal methane drainage project would not be approved. The existing venting mechanisms, along with the previously completed MDWs, would allow production of approximately 3.5 million tons of coal from current active mining panels in 2002. Production beyond 2002 would not be economically viable. Loss of economic viability would result in closure of the mine or die mine operation changing to care and maintenance status. No new road construction, road rehabilitation, drill pad constmction, surface drilling, or vertical methane drainage Environmentol Arreument `\tP/iUnuman GN (q/F_1/Dnfi ]/J/iLtl V]!3 _/5/03 r1v