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United States Forest Grand Mesa, 2250 Highway 50 <br />USDA Department of Service Uncompahgre and Delta, CO 81416 <br />Agriculture Gunnison Voice: 970 - 874 -6600 <br />National Forests TDD: 970 - 874 -6660 <br />Loretta Pineda <br />Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining & Safety <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />Dear Ms. Pineda: <br />The Forest Service received your May 7, 2012 letter accepting our invitation to be a cooperating <br />agency on the environmental analysis under preparation for two federal coal lease modifications <br />for the West Elk Mine in Gunnison County, CO. <br />This letter is our formal acceptance of the Division as a cooperating agency. We understand that <br />the Division plans to participate to the extent reasonable and as resources allow. To that end, the <br />Forest Service anticipates the Division providing the following: <br />1. Timely review and comments on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS); <br />2. Assistance within the area of the Division's special expertise to the analysis; <br />3. Assistance when requested by the Forest Service in response to comments on the draft <br />EIS and; <br />4. Timely review and comment on the Final EIS. <br />As the lead federal agency, the Forest Service retains final responsibility for the content of the <br />Draft and Final EIS. The Forest Service's responsibilities include determining the purpose of and <br />need for the EIS, selecting alternatives for analysis, identifying effects of the proposed <br />alternatives, selecting the preferred alternative and determining appropriate mitigation measures <br />within the applicable legal and regulatory framework. In meeting these responsibilities, the <br />Forest Service will follow all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. <br />The staff contact for preparation of the EIS is Niccole Mortenson, 406 - 329 -3163, <br />nmortenson @fs.fed.us. The management contact for the EIS effort is Sherry Hazelhurst, 970- <br />874 -6674, shazelhurst@fs.fed.us. <br />Sincerely, <br />Acting Forest Supervisor <br />File Code: 2820/1950 <br />Date: May 15, 2012 <br />cc: Bob Postle, Lori Armstrong, Tom McClure, Niccole A Mortenson <br />r <br />- 76V1 <br />AcA <br />oNt., end a{ <br />Vi:; Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recyded Paper I <br />