Final environmental impact statement :Iron Point coal lease tract, Elk Creek coal lease tract, Iron Point coal exploration license PDF
Preview Final environmental impact statement :Iron Point coal lease tract, Elk Creek coal lease tract, Iron Point coal exploration license
Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT - Iron Point Exploration License - Iron Point Coal Lease Tract Elk Creek Coal Lease Tract - Delta and Gunnison Counties, Colorado February 2000 Lead Agencies: USDA Forest Service USDI Bureau of Land Management Cooperating Agency: USDI Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement . The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited basis apply to all programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA Office of Communications at (202) 720-2791 To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250 or call 1-800-245-6340 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity employer. FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Iron Point Coal Lease Tract Elk Creek Coal Lease Tract Iron Point Coal Exploration License U.S. Department ofthe Interior - Bureau of Land Management Colorado State Office Uncompahgre Field Office U.S. Department ofAgriculture - Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests Cooperating Agency: U.S. Department ofthe Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Western Regional Coordinating Center u -S.D.a. Nal JUH 2000 Catsio ding Prep February 2000 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Iron Point Coal Lease Tract Elk Creek Coal Lease Tract Iron Point Coal Exploration License FEBRUARY 2000 Lead Agencies: USDI, Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Office USDA, Forest Service, Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Forests Cooperating Agency: USDI, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western Regional Coordinating Center Responsible Officials: Ms. Ann Morgan, State Director Mr. Robert Storch, Forest Supervisor Bureau of Land Management Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison 2850 Youngfield Street National Forests Lakewood, Colorado 80215 2250 Highway 50 Delta, Colorado 81416 For Further Information: Mr. Jerry Jones, EIS Coordinator Bureau of Land Management 2465 S. Townsend Avenue Montrose, Colorado 81401 Abstract: The Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) describes the physical, biological, social, and economic resources that would be potentially affected by leasing of the Iron Point and Elk Creek Coal Lease tracts as well as issuing an exploration license for an area within and surrounding the Iron Point Coal Lease Tract. The federal decisions to be made involve the approval or disapproval of coal leasing (the Iron Point and Elk Creek tracts) and of an exploration license. Some of the key issues for these proposed actions include: the potential effects of transporting over 19 million tons of coal per year from the North Fork Valley on the Union Pacific Railroad, the effects of increased highway traffic on State Highway 133: the potential effects to the integrity of watersheds and irrigation facilities within and surrounding the lease tracts, the effects to the local social and economic structure of Delta and Gunnison counties, and the cumulative effects of coal exploration and mining activities. U.S. Department ofthe Interior U.S. Department ofAgriculture Bureau of Land Management Forest Service 2465 S. Townsend Avenue 2250 Highway 50 Montrose, Colorado 81401 Delta, Colorado 81416 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IRON POINT EXPLORATION LICENSE IRON POINT COAL LEASE TRACT ELK CREEK COAL LEASE TRACT FEBRUARY 18,2000 Dear Ladies and Gentlemen: Enclosed for your review is the North Fork Coal Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This document describes the existing environmental conditions and the potential effects associated with the leasing of the Iron Point and Elk Creek Coal Lease Tracts located in Delta and Gunnison counties, Colorado. The EIS also describes the environmental effects of granting a coal exploration license on an area within and surrounding the Iron Point Coal Lease Tract. The U.S.D.I. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S.D.A. Forest Service (Forest Service) are the joint lead agencies in the preparation of this EIS. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is a cooperating agency on this EIS. To aid in the preparation of the Draft EIS, we held a public scoping meeting on Wednesday, April 21, 1999 in Hotchkiss, Colorado. The Draft EIS was published and available for public review and comment on September 3, 1999. An informational public meeting was held on October 7, 1999. A public hearing was held on October 14, 1999 to accept testimony and comments. Both meetings were held in Hotchkiss, Colorado. The public comment period ended on November 3, 1999. The healthy debate and many constructive comments generated during the public involvement process greatly assisted the BLM and the Forest Service in identifying issues and preparing the environmental analysis in this Final EIS. We want to thank you for your participation in this project and hope you find the analysis responsive to your concerns. Some of the key issues for this project include: the potential effects of coal shipping from the North Fork Valley on the Union Pacific Railroad; the effects of increased coal truck traffic on State Highway 133; the potential effects to the integrity of watersheds and irrigation facilities within and surrounding the lease tracts, including the Terror Creek Ditch and the Terror Creek Reservoir; the effects to the local social and economic structure in Delta and Gunnison counties; and the cumulative effects that coal exploration and mining might have on the region. February 18, 2000 Page Two Besides the No-Action Alternative (Alternative A) and the coal leasing as applied for by Bowie Resources Ltd. and Oxbow Mining Inc. (Alternative B), we examined two other alternatives in the completion of the Final EIS. In these other alternatives, we analyzed the possibility of multi- seam mining and the restriction of subsidence due to underground mining in key sensitive areas. Alternative D is the agencies’ preferred alternative and the environmentally preferred alternative. Copies of the Final EIS, and other relevant documents such as the scoping report, are available for review at the following locations: Bureau of Land Management Forest Service Uncompahgre Field Office Paonia Ranger District Office 2465 S. Townsend Avenue North Rio Grande Avenue Montrose, Colorado 81401 Paonia, Colorado 81428 Bureau of Land Management Office of Surface Mining Colorado State Office 1999 Broadway, Suite 3410 2850 Youngfield Street Denver, Colorado 80202 Lakewood, Colorado 80215 Forest Service Supervisor’s Office 2250 Highway 50 Delta, Colorado 81416 Copies of the Final EIS have also been placed in the local libraries in Paonia, Hotchkiss, Delta, Montrose, and Grand Junction. Due to the minor comments and revisions on the figure volume, the figure volume has not been republished with the Final EIS. The reader will need to refer to the existing figure volume when referenced in the text of the Final EIS. This EIS is not a decision document. The BLM and Forest Service will document their decisions on coal leasing and the exploration license in documents known as Records of Decision (ROD). The BLM requires a 30-day waiting period before the ROD can be issued. The BLM and Forest Service will issue their RODs concurrently. The public may anticipate the agencies to publish their RODs on or about March 27, 2000. The agencies’ decisions for actions affecting lands under theirjurisdiction are appealable. Appeals filed on Forest Service decisions must be filed pursuant to regulations at 36 CFR 215. Appeals filed on BLM decisions must be filed pursuant to regulations at 43 CFR, Part 4 and Form 1842-1. Additional, specific information on filing appeals will be included in the RODs.
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