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Township 13 South, Range 91 West, 6th P.M.
<br />Section 5: lots 2, 3, 4, 10, & 11, N /2N /2SENW, N /2NWSWNE, NESWNE, SESWNE,
<br />E /2NWSE, W /2W /2NESE, N /2NENESE, NENWNESE, W /2W /2SENE
<br />Section 6: Lots 1 through 4 inclusive
<br />*containing 1,813 acres more or less
<br />At the leasing stage, the federal agencies evaluate the effects of subsidence (i.e., the land surface
<br />lowered as a result of mining) and surface use on resources, and identify where surface resources
<br />may require specific protection from subsidence or foreseeable surface uses. Potential surface
<br />uses on the lease tract include methane drainage wells (MDWs) and associated access roads
<br />required to safely mine the coal resources. Because LBAs are competitive, and the lessee is not
<br />known at this time, specific locations of the MDWs and roads are not known at the leasing stage.
<br />They will not be known until the time specific mine plans are approved by the State, the BLM,
<br />Mine Safety and Health Administration, and the Office of Surface Mining during the subsequent
<br />permitting process. To analyze potential surface impacts due to underground mine subsidence,
<br />the EA will develop a Reasonably Foreseeable Mine Plan for the leasing stage.
<br />A more detailed description of the proposed project, including a map, is available on the BLM
<br />and the FS websites:
<br />http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ufo.html
<br />http: / /www.fs.usda.gov /goto /sprucestomp
<br />A No Action alternative and other alternatives that may develop during the public scoping period
<br />will be considered. The analysis will consider the effects of leasing on the following: the
<br />socioeconomic benefits of mining, wildlife (including threatened, endangered, sensitive and
<br />management indicator species), land stability, water resources, soils, geologic hazards,
<br />vegetation (including impacts to riparian vegetation and associated habitat if present), cultural
<br />resources, existing land uses, recreation, roads /facilities, visual resources, livestock management,
<br />air quality, climate change, public safety, cumulative effects including anticipated mine
<br />activities, along with other issues that may be raised by the public.
<br />The BLM and FS, as joint leads for the EA, are seeking comments you may have related to this
<br />project. Comments will assist the interdisciplinary team in identifying issues, as required by
<br />NEPA, which should be addressed as part of the evaluation for this project. This comment
<br />period will also meet the requirements of 36 CFR 215.3 and 40 CFR 1506.6. The comment
<br />period on the Proposed Action ends 30 -days following the date of publication of the legal notice
<br />of opportunity to comment in the newspaper of record.
<br />Electronic comments should be submitted to the BLM. Electronic comments must be submitted
<br />in an ANSI compatible format (e.g. *.doc, *.txt, *.rtf or *.pdf). Please note in the subject line
<br />that the comments are for Federal Coal Lease COC- 75916.
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