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as"..®'°»~ United States Forest Paonia P.O. Box 1030 <br />P ~ ~ Department of Service Ranger District N Rio Grande Ave. <br />` Agriculture PHONE NO. 970-527-4131 Paonia, CO 81428 <br />FAX 970-527-4151 <br />Fele Code: 2$20-4/1950 <br />Date: July 27, 2004 <br />RECEIVE® <br />JUL 2 9 2004 <br />Uivisien of Minerals and Geology <br />Dear Interested Party, <br />The Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Forest (GMUG) is inviting public comments <br />on proposals from Bowie Resources, L.L.C., Mountain Coal Company, L.L.C. /Ark Land <br />Company, and Oxbow Mining, L.L.C. regarding exploration~rilliug on separate coal exploration <br />licenses near Paonia, Colorado. <br />The GMUG will be conducting analyses in accordance with the National Environmental Policy <br />Act (NEPA) to consider surface and cumulative impacts from the following exploration drilling <br />activities. The specific actions currently being considered aze detailed below and shown on <br />attached maps. <br />Bowie Resources, L.L.C.: Spruce Stomp Coat Exploration License <br />(COC-67644) and Exploration Plan <br />The Spruce Stomp Coal Exploration License area, approximately 3830.66 acres, lies within <br />portions of T. 12 S., R. 91 & 92 W., 6`h P.M. in Delta County, Colorado on the Gunnison <br />National Forest. The proposed exploration area is located approximately eight miles north of <br />Paonia, CO. The moderately rugged terrain of the exploration plan azea consists primarily of the <br />East and West Forks of the Terror Creek drainages and the ridges that separate them. Terror <br />Creek reservoir lies northeast of the exploration license area. The Spruce Stomp Exploration <br />License Area is located along the north side of the present Bowie #1 and Bowie # 2 Lease <br />holdings with Stephens Gulch Road passing diagonally through the center of the area. The <br />proposed exploration drilling will evaluate the reserves and quality of coal seams in the lower <br />part of the Williams Fork Formation member of the Upper Cretaceous Mesa Verde Group. This <br />program is in direct support of ongoing mining operations at Bowie and is an integral part of <br />continued operation of the mine. <br />Bowie Resources, L.L.C. proposes eleven drill sites within the exploration area, Exploration <br />Drill Holes PRP-SS-2, PRP-SS-3, PRP-SS-4, PRP-SS-S, PRP-SS-B, PRP-SS-9, PRP-SS-10, <br />PRP-SS-11, PRP-SS-12, PRP-SS-13, and PRP-SS-I S. Access for drilling the coal exploration <br />holes is proposed using a combination of existing forest roads and new temporary access roads. <br />UtJ ~°vd <br />Caring for the Land and Serving People anmee o~ ae~yaea aaaer !~ <br />