2008-06-12_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1980007 (3)

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practical means to avoid or minimize environmental harm resulting from my decision have been adopted. • Applicable Laws, Regulations, and Policy The selected alternative meets requirements under the Mineral Leasing Act, as amended, the National Environmental Policy Act, National Forest Management Act, and other applicable laws and regulations (refer to Section D of this document and EIS, Section 1.3). How Issues Were Considered The general issue of concern is the potential for underground mine subsidence to affect surface resources. This overarching concern was described in the Issues (EIS, Section 2.3) that were analyzed in the EIS. Potential impacts will be mitigated by the application of the Coal Lease Stipulations, displayed in Appendix A of this document. Other concerns focused on the potential effects that post-lease surface use would impart to water resources, wildlife, vegetation, roadless character and other land uses of the area. Suggestions were made to include a no surface occupancy stipulation on the lease to preserve roadless character, or to select an alternative to stop mining at the inventoried roadless area boundary (EIS, Sections 2.3 and 2.7). The effects of post-lease surface use to the extent it is reasonably foreseeable (EIS, Section 1.8) were analyzed in the EIS (Chapter 3). Portions of the Dry Fork LBA tract lie within the West Elk Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA). The EIS analyzed this potential for coal leasing to alter the roadless character of the IRA (EIS Section 3.7). The roadless character of the West Elk IRA was evaluated during the Roadless Area Review and Evaluation (RARE) I and II in the 1970s. The portion of the IRA in which the Dry Fork LBA tract is located was not recommended for wilderness designation, or identified as a "further planning area". The Colorado Wilderness Act of 1980 released the portions of the West Elk IRA not having been added to the West Elk Wilderness and all other GMUG NFS lands for non-wilderness management. The area in which the Dry Fork LBA tract lies is designated in the Forest Plan for primary management focus on wildlife habitat management, livestock grazing and riparian area management (EIS, Section 1.4). The West Elk IRA was also evaluated for roadless character in -the GMUG Oil and Gas Leasing Environmental Impact Statement (1993). The associated Record of Decision states that the portion of the West Elk IRA west of Coal Creek (Coal Creek lies about 3 miles east of the Dry Fork federal coal lease tract) has existing coal leases, and that exploration activities and existing roads have compromised roadless character values. Additional roadless character analysis was preformed on the portion of the IRA in which the Dry Fork LBA tract is located for the Coal Methane Drainage Project, Panels 16 to 24 (USDA-FS, 2002). This analysis found that that the area retained little roadless character, and would be difficult to manage as wilderness with the existing coal lease obligations. Approval of this federal coal lease application, based on the effects of the Reasonably Foreseeable Mine Plan and Foreseeable Surface Use (EIS, Section 1.8), with implementation of special Coal Lease Stipulations (Appendix A of this document), will not alter the roadless character of the IRA. This Decision is made understanding the current circumstances pertaining • to IRA management, and is consistent with the GMUG Forest Plan in this regard. Consent to leasing these lands for underground coal mining will not alter the existing roadless character.