2009-10-26_REVISION - C1981010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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chokecherry and only dominates east facing slopes. At the lowest elevations, serviceberry and chokecherry give way to a community dominated by sagebrush, rabbitbrush and grasses. Specifically, the mining plan action proposed by Trapper Mining, Inc. consists of recovering approximately 8.1 million tons of Federal coal, disturbing 312 acres that were previously affected by a landslide, within the area covered by Colorado State permit C-1981-010 during the 2008 - 2012 permit term. In addition, this mining plan modification will also authorize the recovery of approximately 25.5 million tons of Federal coal during the life of the Trapper mine that was previously included in the approved permit area. The mining operations use a combination of dragline, truck/loader and limited highwall miner mining methods. The average production rate is approximately 2.3 million tons per year from the "H," "I," "J," "K," "L," "M," "Q," and "R" coal seams and is approved to reach a maximum production rate of 2.6 million tons per year. PR-6 would not increase from its present 10,382.3 acres and surface disturbance within the approved State permit area would increase by 312 acres from its present 3,288.6 acres to a new total of 3,600.6 acres. No acres of Federal surface land, 4,663 acres of Federal coal and 25.5 million tons of Federal coal remain within the current permit area. The current life of the approved mining operation within the approved permit area is estimated to be approximately eleven (11) years. The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety approved PR-6 on September 22, 2009. Pursuant to 30 CFR Part 746, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is recommending that the Assistant Secretary approve the mining plan modification without special conditions. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) gives OSM primary responsibility to administer programs that regulate surface coal mining operations on Federal lands. Pursuant to Section 503 of SMCRA, the CO-DRMS developed, and the Secretary of the Interior approved, a permanent program authorizing the CO-DRMS to regulate surface coal mining operations and the surface effects of underground coal mining on non-Federal lands within the State of Colorado. In September 1982, pursuant to Section 523(c) of SMCRA, the CO-DRMS entered into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary of the Interior authorizing the CO-DRMS to regulate surface coal mining operations and the surface effects of underground coal mining on Federal lands within the State of Colorado. Pursuant to the cooperative agreement, Federal coal lease holders in Colorado must submit a permit application package to OSM and the CO-DRMS for proposed mining and reclamation operations on Federal lands in the State. The CO-DRMS reviews the permit application package to ensure that it complies with the permitting requirements and that the coal mining and reclamation operations will meet the approved permanent program's performance standards. If it does comply, the CO-DRMS issues the applicant a permit to conduct coal mining and reclamation operations. OSM, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reviewed the permit application package to ensure that it complies with the terms of the Federal coal lease; the requirements of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920; the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; and other Federal laws and their attendant regulations. -2-