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Policy Act of 2005), the holder of a federal coal lease may apply to modify a lease by up to 960 <br />acres. The federal agencies aze responding to an application to modify an existing lease. <br />The proposed action conforms to the overall guidance given in the GMUG Land and Resource <br />Management Plan, as amended (Forest Plan, 1991) which encourages environmentally sound <br />energy and mineral development, and the BLM Uncompahgre Basin Resource Management Plan <br />(RMP, 1989). <br />Responsible Officials and Decision Framework <br />The GMUG Forest Supervisor is the NEPA Responsible Official for the Forest Service. Given <br />the purpose and need, the Responsible Official will review the proposed action, the other <br />alternatives, and the environmental consequences in order to decide the following: <br />• Whether or not to consent to the BLM modifying existing federal coal Lease COC-61209. <br />by adding approximately 141 acres; <br />• Prescribe conditions (stipulations) needed for the protection ofnon-coal resources. <br />The Forest Service Responsible Official will determine if the activity is consistent with the <br />GMUG Forest Plan. <br />The BLM Colorado State Director is the deciding official for the BLM, and will decide whether <br />or not to modify the existing coal lease and what conditions (stipulations) are needed for lands <br />under BLM jurisdiction. The Uncompahgre Field Office Manager is responsible for providing <br />the State Director with briefings and recommendations. <br />Issues and Alternatives <br />As this is a leasing analysis, the agencies anticipate analyzing the effects of underground mine <br />subsidence on surface resources including water resources, land stability, existing roads and <br />trails. There are no known wetlands, fens, or perennial streams in the lease modification area. <br />The area is within the Springhouse Park Inventoried Roadless Area; however, Oxbow has <br />provided information that no surface facilities (e.g. roads, drill pads} will be located in the <br />proposed modification area. No surface disturbance, other than subsidence, is expected in the <br />modification area. <br />This analysis will address the proposed action, and any other reasonable alternative resulting <br />from resource issues raised by the public or the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT). <br />Submitting Comments on the Forest Service Action <br />The following information is specific to submitting comments on the Forest Service portion of <br />the project. The comment period is the official opportunity to participate in this project. The <br />comment period on this proposal ends 30 days following the date of the legal notice in the Grand <br />Junction Daily Sentinel. The publication date of the notice is the exclusive means for calculating <br />the time to submit comments. <br />The Forest Service Responsible Official is Charles S. Richmond, Forest Supervisor for the <br />GMUG, (970)874-6600. Written comments may be submitted in hard copy through the mail, <br />email, fax or delivered by hand. Mail comments to: <br />