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thereafter. The truck impacts would be mitigated by measures to be <br /> developed until the conveyor was constructed. (See Section Four, <br /> Alternative Two, Mitigation Measures, page 21). <br /> Conclusion: Preferred Alternative <br /> Having examined the anticipated environmental effects of the two <br /> alternatives, it is the interdisciplinary team's recommendation that <br /> Special Stipulation 30c, which limited production to no more than 700,000 <br /> tons per year, be deleted from CWI' s lease. This recommendation is <br /> _subject to the mitigation measures identified in Section Four, Alternative <br /> Two, Mitigation Measures, page 21, in this document.. <br /> Specifically, acceptance of this recommendation would allow CWI to <br /> increase its production, upon securing mining plan approval from the <br /> Office of Surface Mining (OSM). It would not require CWI to build a <br /> conveyor or other form of capital-intensive mitigating measure to <br /> minimize CWI' s hauling on State Highway 133 at the present time. <br /> However, it would require CWI to operate in full compliance with all <br /> existing laws, rules , and regulations and to take reasonable interim <br /> measures to reduce the temporary impacts of increased coal haulage on <br /> State Highway 133 as the need is .identified. This includes measures <br /> that may be identified by OSM in its mine plan review process. <br /> CWI is committed to removal of the coal haulage trucks from the <br /> highway through construction. of a capital-intensive mitigation measure, <br /> such as a_ conveyor belt, when it secures the long-term competitive coal <br /> lease that it is pursuing. The BLM accepts in principle the desire- <br /> ability of enabling CWI to become eligible for a long-term Federal coal <br /> lease, and is presently examining the possibility of some additional <br /> coal leasing in the North Fork Valley in 1983 prior to the 1987 scheduled <br /> Resource Management Plan. <br /> If CWI is successful in obtaining a long-term lease in 1983, giving <br /> it the financial stability needed, it is assumed that construction of <br /> the conveyor or other capital-intensive measure would begin immediately. <br /> Trucking of coal would cease at the completion of the conveyor. Approxi- <br /> mately one year would be required to construct the conveyor. <br /> The principal environmental effects of this action would result <br /> from the interim truck haulage of coal on State Highway 133. An esti- <br /> mated 40 people living along segments of the Steven's Gulch Road and <br /> State Highway 133 could receive temporary adverse impacts from noise and <br /> diesel fumes from the trucks, to their quality of life in and around <br /> their homes. As previously stated, CWI is committed to operate in full <br /> compliance with all existing laws, including meeting EPA standards for <br /> noise and air quality. To reduce the impacts of interim trucking, CWI <br /> has applied for permission from the State of Colorado to use tandem <br /> trucks on State Highway 133 as an interim measure. This request has <br /> been supported by the Delta County Board of Commissioners in a reso- <br /> lution passed on January 28, 1980. CWI is committed to chance to tandem <br /> trucks, thus increasing coal haulage without increasing truck trips over <br /> 6 <br />