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United States Forest Grand Mesa, 2250 Highway 50 <br />USDA Department of Service Uncompahgre and Delta, CO 81416 <br />Agriculture Gunnison Voice: 970-874-6600 <br />National Forests TDD: 970-874-6660 <br />File Code: 2820-4 <br />Date: June 6, 2008 <br />Mr. Carl Johnston <br />Mine Coordinator <br />Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement <br />PO Box 46667 <br />Denver, CO 80201-6667 <br />Mr. Daniel Hernandez <br />Supervisory Reclamation Specialist <br />Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />Gentlemen, <br />By this letter, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) is <br />conveying post-mining land use direction and protections for non-mineral resources on national <br />forest system lands involved in the West Elk Mine's Technical Revisions 111 and 112. This <br />letter also conveys the GMUGs formal consent/concurrence to OSM to recommend that the <br />USDI Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals approve the mining plan modifications <br />associated with these technical revisions. <br />The post-mining land uses are wildlife habitat, livestock grazing and maintaining aquatic/riparian <br />ecosystem function. Measures to protect surface resources are listed in the attached document. <br />The following documents and information was provided to the OSM and/or DRMS in previous <br />correspondence. <br />1. The Final EIS for the Deer Creek Shaft and E Seam Methane Wells Project was sent <br />in August 2007. <br />2. The GMUG Record of Decision for the E Seam Methane Drainage Wells Project, <br />which identifies that the GMUG will concur to the mine plan modifications and brings <br />forward the post-mining land use and protections for surface resources, was mailed in <br />March 2008. <br />3. The US Fish and Wildlife Service concurrence letter to conclusions related to <br />effects on threatened and endangered species was sent to OSM on August 21, 2007, as an <br />attachment to the FS conditional concurrence to the Deer Creek Shaft mine plan <br />modification. <br />4. Communication with the State Historical Preservation Officer (SHPO) was sent in <br />November 2007. Please note that in cases where no cultural resource sites were <br />identified, the SHPO does not send a return reply to the agency. Such is the case for this <br />project. <br />Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper