2008-06-09_REVISION - C1980007 (3)

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Chapter 3 MDW pads (approximately 2 acres), 1.6 miles of access road, 3.5 miles of life of mine road, and less than 1 mile of temporary road (Figure 1). MCC has reclaimed five _MDW (approximately 4 acres) and 0.7 miles of road. MCC maintains 11 surface water monitoring stations in the Minnesota Creek Drainage Basin (HydroGeo 2006). Routine monitoring occurs three times a year corresponding with rising limb (April 3 to May 13}, peak flow (April 21 to June 26), and low flow (July 10 to October 8). Twenty-eight springs and seeps are also monitored under the program. MCC also monitors a network of 28 ground water monitoring wells throughout the West Elk Mine permit and lease areas. The casings on five wells: So. W-l, SOM -45-H1, SOM 2H, SOM -16H, and 96-27-1 collapsed in 2005 and were not monitored. In addition, four old wells were reinitiated into the well network in 2005 (HydroGeo 2006). Subsidence monitoring has occurred since 1998 in support of previous West Elk Mine lease applications. Methane Drainage Drilling 2001 to p~°esent MCC was approved in 2002 for installing 58 methane drainage wells from 46 locations over existing leases. Range Use/ Improvements Past 100 years NFS and BLM lands have been grazed for many years and are currently managed on an intensive time-controlled system. MCC also leases private land for grazing. No changes in the grazing system are planned. Existing range features and imp:rovein.ents include stock trails, stock tanks, and fences. Recreation Past 20 years, Present and Futui°e The project area. has no developed recreation sites. Dispersed recreation includes camping, use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and horseback riding on a limited basis. Occasionally, the Dry Fork Road NFSR 711 is used for dirt bikes and mountain cyclists. Primary use occurs during hunting seasons. No recreation developments are planned. Special Use Authorizations Past 100 years, Present and Future Minnesota Canal and Reservoir Company has a ditch, cabin, flumes, culverts and headgates, and appurtenant facilities under permit that convey water from an adjacent drainage basin (Little Gunnison Creek) into the ditch for transport to Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek to Minnesota Reservoir. Maintenance activities occur annually. Road and Trail System Past 30 years and Present NFSR 711 is the primary access used by forest visitors, range and special use permittees, and MCC. The road is low standard and maintained for travel in high clearance vehicles. MCC has performed maintenance in the past 10 years on portions of the road. Other temporary roads have been constructed and reclaimed in the past 15 years for coal exploration or other drilling purposes. Simple decommissioning techniques such as blocking the routes have not been as effective as complete obliteration and reclamation at eliminating the use of these road prisms. User-created off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails have proliferated in the area in the last 10 years and are expected to continue as recreational use of OHVs grows. Air Quality Affected Environment Air quality in the study area is affected by activities currently conducted within the area. The study area for direct, indirect, and cumulative effects is defined here as the County of Gunnison (approximately a 40-mile 56 Deer Creek Ventilation Shaft and E Seam Methane Drainage Wells FEIS i.~~ ~_.- ~: • ' ~__ ^ •