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China and Australia. 21 It seems odd that the Forest Service could not place a phone call to a <br />major American corporation to determine under what circumstances the company's off-the-shelf <br />product might be used to generate electricity at a coal mine, although Chinese and Australian <br />coal mines could so. See also EEI Geophysical Report at 3-4 (discussing Caterpillar and GE <br />engines). Certainly, the Forest Service cannot fail to address an alternative based on ignorance <br />that could be so easily remedied. <br />C. Methane Capture Is Consistent with the Purpose and Need for the <br />Project. <br />The Project FEIS also stated that an alternative that captures gas would not satisfy the <br />purpose and need of the Project. Project FEIS at 44. But the Forest Service's responses to the <br />site, improving safety while providing an environmentally friendly fuel source to generate <br />electricity. Historically, the methane has been vented into the atmosphere, generating <br />greenhouse gas emissions. By capturing the previously vented methane gas and converting it <br />into electricity, the Caterpillar generator sets will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions <br />while also improving the capacity of the local power grid"0, attached as Exh. 33; RedOrbit, <br />"China looks to coal bed methane" (Jan. 4, 2008), available at <br />http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1203490/China_looks_to_coal_bed methane/index.html# <br />(last viewed Apr. 27, 2008) ("In the past 15 months, Caterpillar has sold more than 100 gas- <br />powered engines manufactured in Lafayette, Ind., to coal mine methane-generated power stations <br />in China."), attached as Exh. 34; PowerProfile Landfill, available at website of Caterpillar, Inc., <br />http://Www.cat.com/cda/files/833149/7/Energy%20Developments%201nc.pdf (last viewed Apr. <br />27, 2008) (energy company stating that it "is no stranger to power generation: It has landfill gas, <br />coal mine methane, and remote-area power generating plants in six countries totaling more than <br />425 MW of capacity"), attached as Exh. 35. <br />21 See GE Energy, "New Power Plant In Northern China Powered By GE Energy's <br />Jenbacher Coal Mine Methane Gas Engines," (Oct. 30, 2007), available at <br />http://www.gepower.com/about/press/en/2007_press/]03007.htm (last viewed Apr. 27, 2008) <br />(noting that "methane is extracted from an active coal mine and then delivered via pumps, <br />storage tanks and pipelines" to GE's generators), attached as Exh. 36; GE Energy, "Australian <br />Coal Mine Waste Gas Plant Powers Up With GE Energy's Jenbacher Generator Sets," (Sep. 19, <br />2006), available at http://www.gepower.com/about/press/enl2006_press/091906_a.him (last <br />viewed Apr. 27, 2008) ("Oaky Creek [mine in Australia] is generating electricity at an <br />operational coal mine, presenting special technical challenges: sudden changes in the <br />composition of waste coal mine gas from active mining can create a variable fuel quality and <br />supply. This places a greater demand on the engines that GE is able to meet through its specially <br />modified Jenbacher engine systems."), attached as Exh. 37. <br />APPEAL OF E SEAM METHANE DRAINAGE WELLS PROJECT, APRIL 28, 2008 PAGE 30