Rally Against Alton Coal Mine - Jan 26
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Jean Arnold
Jan 23, 2012, 11:01:57 AM1/23/12
to Post Carbon SLC
RALLY: TELL BLM - NO EXPANSION OF ALTON COAL MINE, NEAR BRYCE
WHAT: Please join our large rally against the 3,500-acre Alton coal strip mine proposed near Bryce Canyon National Park. We will include speakers and be presenting hard copies of the comments to the BLM. Bring banners and signs!
WHY: We intend to demonstrate widespread opposition to the mine and support for protecting the region around Bryce Canyon National Park by presenting copies of the nearly 200,000 copies that have already been submitted electronically from around the U.S.
WHEN: January 26, 2012, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
WHERE: In front of BLM State Headquarters - 440 West 200 South.
For more info, contact: Tim Wagner, Sierra Club - 801-467-9294
If you have not already submitted comments to the BLM, please do so by Jan. 26.
Email: UT_Kanab_...@blm.gov
Please include ``Alton Coal Tract LBA Draft EIS--Keith Rigtrup'' in the subject line.
• The site is adjacent to Bryce Canyon National Park. The expansion would entail coal trucks at a rate of every seven minutes, along 110 miles of historic, scenic byway Route 89 — severely impacting small towns, businesses and visitors along the way, with traffic and air pollution. Additionally, residents along this corridor would be exposed to toxic coal dust from the trucks.
• The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources warns that increased coal transport truck traffic could turn US 89 into a mule deer “slaughterhouse.”
Panguich motel owner Bruce McMahan has provided some additional points that could be used - listed below are a few of the negative impacts that the DEIS openly addresses.
• The air quality issues are elaborated on in section 4.3 of the document. Air quality is a highly critical issue with mine expansion. There are problems with the air quality studies referred to in the DEIS. Air receptors/monitors were not on site at the tract in question. Samples were gathered as far away as Cedar City. Though allowable by regs, potential shortcomings are apparent. Experts in St. George and at Utah State University, disclosed that no baseline data from any studies is known to exist as would pertain to air inversion issues on, or near, the mine location, or anywhere in southern Utah. Air Quality experts working for environmental groups have concluded that the air studies done for the DEIS are remiss, to say the least
• Green House Gases (GHG) and their direct and indirect effects were not considered in the scope of the DEIS study. Again, this is allowable under current Federal law and regulations, but should be addressed when you're talking about potential impacts to the air quality of Class I and II areas over Bryce Canyon NP and Grand Staircase Escalante NM..
These headers and quotes are from the DEIS Executive Summary:
• Aesthetic Resources: “Increased ambient noise, short term modifications to visual resources and perceptible increase in nighttime glow would occur from implementation of either action alternative.” DEIS at ES-11.
• Air Resources: The DEIS acknowledges that one+ of the options being considered will lead to exceedances of federal air quality standards for ozone precursors (NOx) and particulate matter (pm10). EIS as ES-11.
• Cultural resources: “Archeological sites eligible for the National Register would be adversely impacted from the implementation of either action alternative due to surface disturbing activities associated with mining operations . . . The Panguitch National Historic District and Utah Heritage Highway 89/Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area (US-89) would be subject to adverse effects for the life of the mine under either action alternative. Sites that are not directly impacted by surface mining or facilities construction would be subject to a greater degree of threat of vandalism, looting etc. due to an increased human presence in the area.” DEIS as ES-11.
• Paleontology: “It is anticipated that a large number of significant fossils would be destroyed or removed from context . . .” DEIS at ES-13.
• Socioeconomics: “There would be an adverse impact to recreation and adverse impacts to sense of community, social well being and tourism related businesses. There would be impacts to population, housing, public health, safety and environmental justice populations.” DEIS ES-13.
• Wildlife and Special Status Species: Direct and indirect impacts from either action alternative would include habitat fragmentation, alteration, loss and displacement due to surface disturbance, noise, ground vibration, night lighting, and increased risk of vehicle mortality associated with coal-haul trucks.” DEIS at ES-14
WHAT: Please join our large rally against the 3,500-acre Alton coal strip mine proposed near Bryce Canyon National Park. We will include speakers and be presenting hard copies of the comments to the BLM. Bring banners and signs!
WHY: We intend to demonstrate widespread opposition to the mine and support for protecting the region around Bryce Canyon National Park by presenting copies of the nearly 200,000 copies that have already been submitted electronically from around the U.S.
WHEN: January 26, 2012, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
WHERE: In front of BLM State Headquarters - 440 West 200 South.
For more info, contact: Tim Wagner, Sierra Club - 801-467-9294
If you have not already submitted comments to the BLM, please do so by Jan. 26.
Email: UT_Kanab_...@blm.gov
Please include ``Alton Coal Tract LBA Draft EIS--Keith Rigtrup'' in the subject line.
• The site is adjacent to Bryce Canyon National Park. The expansion would entail coal trucks at a rate of every seven minutes, along 110 miles of historic, scenic byway Route 89 — severely impacting small towns, businesses and visitors along the way, with traffic and air pollution. Additionally, residents along this corridor would be exposed to toxic coal dust from the trucks.
• The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources warns that increased coal transport truck traffic could turn US 89 into a mule deer “slaughterhouse.”
Panguich motel owner Bruce McMahan has provided some additional points that could be used - listed below are a few of the negative impacts that the DEIS openly addresses.
• The air quality issues are elaborated on in section 4.3 of the document. Air quality is a highly critical issue with mine expansion. There are problems with the air quality studies referred to in the DEIS. Air receptors/monitors were not on site at the tract in question. Samples were gathered as far away as Cedar City. Though allowable by regs, potential shortcomings are apparent. Experts in St. George and at Utah State University, disclosed that no baseline data from any studies is known to exist as would pertain to air inversion issues on, or near, the mine location, or anywhere in southern Utah. Air Quality experts working for environmental groups have concluded that the air studies done for the DEIS are remiss, to say the least
• Green House Gases (GHG) and their direct and indirect effects were not considered in the scope of the DEIS study. Again, this is allowable under current Federal law and regulations, but should be addressed when you're talking about potential impacts to the air quality of Class I and II areas over Bryce Canyon NP and Grand Staircase Escalante NM..
These headers and quotes are from the DEIS Executive Summary:
• Aesthetic Resources: “Increased ambient noise, short term modifications to visual resources and perceptible increase in nighttime glow would occur from implementation of either action alternative.” DEIS at ES-11.
• Air Resources: The DEIS acknowledges that one+ of the options being considered will lead to exceedances of federal air quality standards for ozone precursors (NOx) and particulate matter (pm10). EIS as ES-11.
• Cultural resources: “Archeological sites eligible for the National Register would be adversely impacted from the implementation of either action alternative due to surface disturbing activities associated with mining operations . . . The Panguitch National Historic District and Utah Heritage Highway 89/Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area (US-89) would be subject to adverse effects for the life of the mine under either action alternative. Sites that are not directly impacted by surface mining or facilities construction would be subject to a greater degree of threat of vandalism, looting etc. due to an increased human presence in the area.” DEIS as ES-11.
• Paleontology: “It is anticipated that a large number of significant fossils would be destroyed or removed from context . . .” DEIS at ES-13.
• Socioeconomics: “There would be an adverse impact to recreation and adverse impacts to sense of community, social well being and tourism related businesses. There would be impacts to population, housing, public health, safety and environmental justice populations.” DEIS ES-13.
• Wildlife and Special Status Species: Direct and indirect impacts from either action alternative would include habitat fragmentation, alteration, loss and displacement due to surface disturbance, noise, ground vibration, night lighting, and increased risk of vehicle mortality associated with coal-haul trucks.” DEIS at ES-14
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