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Approximately 1,450 acres of the modification areas are within the West Elk Inventoried <br />Roadless Area (equates to approx. 1,540 acres in draft Colorado Roadless Area). The lease <br />modifications have been reviewed by USDA's Office of the Secretary, which informed the <br />Forest Service to begin environmental analysis. <br />If the lease modifications are approved, temporary roads and timber cutting may be needed to <br />construct, operate and maintain MDWs. This leasing action itself does not authorize any surface <br />disturbing activities, however it does evaluate the need for conditions for subsequent use of the <br />land surface. In this case, conditions on the existing leases would apply to the modifications, and <br />include a condition for activities in roadless areas, which states that lands in the leases may be <br />subject to restrictions on road - building pursuant to rules and regulations of the Secretary of <br />Agriculture applicable at the time any roads may be proposed on the lease. <br />The GMUG Forest Supervisor is the Responsible Official for this discretionary consent decision <br />on these coal lease modifications. Given the purpose and need, the Responsible Official will <br />review the proposed action, the other alternatives, and the environmental consequences in order <br />to decide the following: <br />• Whether or not to consent to the BLM modifying existing federal coal Lease COC -1362 <br />by 800 acres; <br />• Whether or not to consent to the BLM modifying existing federal coal Lease COC -67232 <br />by 922 acres; <br />• Prescribe conditions (stipulations) needed for the protection of non -coal resources. <br />It is anticipated that the environmental analysis will be documented in an Environmental <br />Assessment (EA). A No Action alternative and other alternatives that may develop during the <br />public comment period will be considered. The analysis will consider the effects of leasing on <br />the following: the socioeconomic benefits of mining (local and regional /national <br />implications),wildlife (including threatened, endangered, sensitive and management indicator <br />species), land stability, soils, and geologic hazards, subsidence, vegetation (including impacts to <br />riparian vegetation and associated habitat if present), cultural resources, existing land uses, <br />including recreation, existing roads /facilities, visual resources, livestock management, air <br />quality, safety, cumulative effects including anticipated mine activities, along with other issues <br />that maybe raised by the public. The BIM ncompa gre Field Office an�the USDI = 6ffice of <br />Mining, Western Regional Coordinating Center will participate in the analysis as <br />cooperating agencies. <br />This opportunity to comment serves two purposes: <br />1) As scoping for this project under the requirements of the National <br />Environmental Policy Act, and <br />2) As the comment period required at 36 CFR 215.3. <br />The opportunity to comment on the Proposed Action ends 30 days following the date of <br />publication of the legal notice of opportunity to comment in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. <br />Written, facsimile, hand - delivered, oral and electronic comments concerning this action will be <br />accepted. In order to be eligible to appeal the Forest Service final decision on this project, <br />individuals must comment during this 30 day comment period per 36 CFR 215.6(a)(3). <br />