2010-03-15_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1996083

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United States Department of the `" Interior ti H 3 Bureau of Land Management Uncompahgre Field Office RECEIVEO 2465 South Townsend Avenue Montrose, Colorado 81401 MAR 15 2010 In Reply Refer to: 3410, COC-74235 DivWjrjr a+'and S Min«"?9 MAR 10 2010 Dear. Interested.Party, - - - - - - -- - - - - - The Bureau of Land Management, Uncompahgre Field Office (BLM), is seeking input on a proposed coal exploration license on both the Grand Mesa Gunnison and Uncompahgre National Forest, Paonia Ranger District (USFS) lands and public lands. Two previous exploration licenses on USFS lands covering approximately the same area were authorized in 2006 and 2008 (COC-67644 and COC-072069). The latest authorization expires August 1, 2010. Impacts to exploration activities in this area were first analyzed in the Spruce Stomp Federal Coal Exploration License environmental assessment (150- 2005-43) completed by BLM and USFS in 2005. Approximately 2,200 acres of USFS lands and 200 acres of public lands would be included within the proposed exploration license area. The two year exploration license would be located in the Terror Creek drainage in Delta County, Colorado, within the following approximate legal locations: T. 12 S., R.91 W., portions of Sections 32 and 31; T. 12 S., R. 92 W., a portion of Section 36; T. 13 S., R. 91 W., portions of Sections 5 and 6. Activities planned for the coal exploration license area would impact a small fraction of the 2,200 acres within the coal exploration license area. Proposed disturbances include the drilling of six exploration holes, totaling 5.4 acres of disturbuncc, the const: uciiun of 0.66 miles (1.9 acres) of temporary roads, and 1.32 miles (1.95 acres) of refurbished roads. The well pad locations and road disturbances (4.5 acres and 1.27 miles respectively) associated with USFS lands have been previously analyzed in the environmental assessment cited above. On public lands 0.34 miles (1.0 acres) of temporary road, 0.37 miles (0.55 acres) of refurbished road, and 0.9 acres of well pad disturbance would be associated with this proposal. Access to the exploration drill pad locations would be via existing USFS system roads, BLM roads, roads for which Bowie currently owns the surface property, for which Bowie holds a valid right-of-way, or the above cited temporary or refurbished access roads. The single drill hole on public land would be utilized as a monitoring well for long term use. The BLM has determined that this action must be evaluated under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to identify the potential environmental impacts related