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• <br />• <br />Similar actions have been described in the Uinta Southwest Utah Coal EIS (BLM 1981), the <br />North Fork Coal EIS (BLM 2000), the Oxbow SE Exploration license EA (CO-150-2003-0053) <br />(BLM 2003), and the Southeast Elk Creek CEL (CO-150-2007-019-EA) (BLM 2007a). <br />Unless otherwise specified in this document, the existing environment and impact analysis <br />contained in the 2005 Spruce Stomp EA are still considered to be accurate, and will not be <br />repeated. <br />DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES <br />Proposed Action: Bowie submitted a revised Spruce Stomp CEL application, seeking BLM <br />approval, with Conditions for protecting the mineral and non-mineral interests on BLM and <br />USFS lands. Approximately 2,000 acres of USFS lands and 200 acres of BLM lands fall within <br />the CEL area. Issuing the CEL would include approving the construction of specific drill sites <br />and temporary access roads, and approving use of existing USFS, BLM, and non-system roads. <br />The locations of proposed holes and access roads are shown on Figure 2. Additional information <br />can also be found in the CEL application submitted on behalf of Bowie (Stover 2009). <br />Refurbished roads are defined as existing roads that may require new disturbance of previously <br />reclaimed areas. Temporary access roads are defined as roads that would be reclaimed upon <br />project completion. New roads are temporary roads and are expected to be in place only until <br />exploration operations at a site are complete. Temporary roads would be obliterated, the <br />disturbed area reclaimed to approximate original contours and revegetated with an agency <br />approved seed mix (Tables 3 through 6, later in the document). The road locations are shown on <br />Figure 2 and disturbances quantified in Table 2-1 and 2-2. <br />The exploration sites would be accessed on existing forest system roads, BLM roads, Bowie <br />roads, and by constructing new and temporary spur access roads to the drill sites. Stevens Gulch <br />Forest Service Road (FSR 701) is an existing two-lane gravel road suitable for use by all <br />vehicles. None of the other existing roads are all-season roads. All of the existing roads are <br />currently used for general access to the National Forest and most were constructed for coal <br />exploration purposes. Some roads may require regrading to accommodate access for the vehicles <br />being used. <br />Approximately 3.4 miles of Terror Creek Road (FSR 842) and approximately 0.5 mile of access <br />to SS-9 would require maintenance for the proposed drilling. All maintenance would occur <br />within the existing road prism and would not require any new disturbance or re-disturbance of <br />previously reclaimed surface. <br />Bowie proposes to drill six (6) exploration holes. Drill pad sizes would be about 200 feet by 200 <br />feet (0.9 acres) each. Construction of each pad would proceed by first selectively clearing <br />brush/vegetation, removing the topsoil and stockpiling it for use in later reclamation, and <br />leveling the subsoil to form a flat pad. Reserve pits would be constructed on the prepared pad <br />and lined with a plastic liner. Biodegradable drilling fluids would be used and would be <br />contained in the pits until dry and the pits covered. <br />DOI-BLM-CO-S050-2010- 0017 EA Page 4 of 43 May 2010