1986-06-13_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981018

• Permit No: C1981018
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 6/13/1986
• Doc Name: Permit Application Approval Package Fed Leases C-023703, D-047201, C-8424, C-8425, C-0126669
• From: OSM
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Under this approval, mining is anticipated to proceed until 2010.
The PAP indicated that mining operations for the life of the
Deserado mine would cease around the year 2010 and would affect
approximately 1,200 surface acres and 6,440 acres of leased Federal
coal lands.
This document assesses the environmental effects that will result
from the approval,' approval with conditions, or disapproval of the
mining plan, as modified.
Western Fuels has proposed to use continuous miners and longwall
equipment to remove coal from two coal seams. The underground
mining operation principally will extract coal from the "D" (upper)
and "B" (lower) seams at a production rate of approximately 1.8
million tons per year. All mining and reclamation operations are
scheduled to cease around the year 2010.
Colorado MLRD reviewed Western Fuels' PAP in accordance with the
Federal lands program, the approved Colorado State program, and the
cooperative agreement. In coordination with Colorado MLRD's review,
OSMRE reviewed the PAP, including the operation and reclamation plan
portion of the permit application, pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Surface Mining Control
and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), the Federal lands program, and
the cooperative agreement, and provided its review comments to the
Colorado MLRD.
• In conjunction with OSMRE's review of the PAP, OSMRE also reviewed
the previously approved mining plan and the Federal permit number
CO-0038 issued on July 23, 1981, for the Deserado mine. All terms
and conditions of the Federal permit will be covered by the Colorado
permit number C-81-018 and the mining plan approval document.
Because the Secretary of the Interior and the State of Colorado have
entered into a cooperative agreement which provides for the full
delegation to the, State of the permitting responsibilities'for
operations on Federal lands pursuant to Section 523 of SMCRA, the
Federal permit will be dissolved upon approval of this mining plan,
as modified.
On March 11, 1986, Colorado MLRD submitted to OSMRE a decision
package containing the following: (1) a letter recommending
approval of the mining plan modification; (2) SMCRA findings and
supporting documentation for the State's approval of the revision to
State permit number C-81-018; (3) a supplemental report; (4) a
chronology of events relating to the processing of the PAP; and (5)
the State's permit document. The supplemental report was prepared
by Colorado MLRD in accordance with the cooperative agreement to
assist OSMRE in the preparation of this environmental assessment in
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