2008-06-09_REVISION - C1980007 (3)

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Chapter 3 Although the estimated life of the methane drainage well program. totals 12 years, the individual wells would have an estimated life of three years and reclamation would take place as individual wells are taken out of service. Therefore, the total disturbed area at any given time would be much less than. the total anal no permanent impacts would be apparent following reclamation of the final sites at completion of the program. pads (approximately 2 acres), 1.6 miles of access road, 3.5 miles of life of mine road, and less than one mile of temporary road (Figure 1). MCC has reclaimed five MDW (approximately 4 acres) and seven tenths of a mile of road. Concurrent reclamation will continue through. the life of the mine as Panel 16 to 24 Coal Methane Drainage Project (USDA FS 2006a) concludes. • Leases contain. stipulations restricting occupancy in areas of geologic hazards and steep slope which are included in the design criteria (Table 2-1). Alternative 3 Effects from installation of the Deer Creek shaft would be the same as under Alternative 2. Disturbance from installation of MDWs would be the same as described for Alternative 2, although approximately 103 acres. Access roads for the methane drainage wells would cause a total disturbed area of 82 acres. Effects on topography would be the same as described for Alternative 2. Cumulative Effects Alternative 1-~ No Action The cumulative- effects analysis area for geologic resources is the project area. Under the No Action alternative, the Deer Creek Shaft and methane drainage wells would not be installed. Without the installation of these safety features, mining of the coal underlying the project area would be conducted at a slower rate or cease entirely. Mining of coal reserves approved in the 2002 Coal Methane Drainage Project Panels 16-24 Mountain Coal Company, West Elk Mine Environmental Assessment (USDA FS 2002a) would continue until 2008 (USDA FS 2006a). Subsidence is likely to occur from mining in the north end of the project area. Current disturbance associated with MCC operations in the project area includes 2 MDW Although no active landslides are mapped in the project area, active landslides have been snapped just outside the area to the north, east, south and west. These processes of mass wasting would continue to occur. Alternative 2 Installation of the Deer Creek Shaft and methane drainage wells would allow the safe mining of coal reserves in the E seam in the project area. In addition to the direct consequences discussed above, mining would cause the extension of subsidence features southward from the currently mined area: These features would include a general lowering of the land surface by five to seven feet, tension cracks, and potential aggravation of existing landslides and rockfalls (Agapito 2005). Although such features would be more widespread, they would not be noticeable to the casual observer (USDA FS 2003). Alternative 3 Cumulative effects from Alternative 3 would be the same as described for Alternative 2. Consistency with Forest Plan and Other Laws Alternative 2 and Alternative 3 are consistent with Forest Plan standards for geology which establishes limits on ground-disturbing activity on unstable slopes and highly erodible sites, and regulations adopted pursuant to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 and the State of Colorado's OSM-approved permanent program for coal mining per the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act as administered by the CDRMS with • LJ 72 Deer Creek Ventilation Shaft and E Seam Methane Drainage Wells FEIS