Cumulative Impacts of the Alternatives Sample Clauses

Cumulative Impacts of the Alternatives. Past mining activity within the spatial scope of analysis has not included the employment of underground mining methods. As a result, there are no existing surface effects from underground mining in this area. In addition, there are no ongoing underground mining activities occurring within the spatial scope of analysis at the present moment. RFFAs within the spatial scope of analysis consist of anticipated underground (room and pillar) mining on the OKNM 108097 federal lease tract (approximately 2,380 acres) to the west of the LBA tract and the private coal tract (approximately 2,300 acres) to the north of the LBA tract (Map 4). Surface effects from mining these tracts using room and pillar mining methods, possibly to include pillar removal (retreat) mining, would be approximately the same as those described above for the action alternatives. This is because the target coal seam in these tracts is the same as the LBA tract, these mining activities are subject to the same regulatory requirements as mining on the LBA tract, and the mining method on these tracts is the same as that which would be employed to mine the LBA tract. Leasing and mining the LBA tract under the Proposed Action or Alternative C would result in an additional 1,270 acres or 940 acres, respectively, of underground mining activity on top of the 4,680 acres of reasonably foreseeable future underground mining activity represented by anticipated mining on the OKNM 108097 federal lease tract and on the private coal tract. Implementation of the Proposed Action or Alternative C would result in a cumulative total contiguous area of underground mining activity of 5,950 acres (under the Proposed Action) or 5,620 acres (under Alternative C), respectively. The cumulative surface effects of mining these areas using room and pillar mining methods, possibly including pillar removal (retreat) mining, would be the same as those described above for the action alternatives for reasons articulated in the previous paragraph.

Cumulative Impacts of the Alternatives. As described in Section 3.3.1, past and ongoing GHG emissions and resultant climate changes are a result of numerous activities, including fossil fuel development, large wildfires, activities using combustion engines, and changes to the natural carbon cycle. Global GHG emissions are estimated at 48,257 million metric tons of CO2e whereas U.S. and State of Oklahoma emissions are estimated at 6,511 and 60 million metric tons of CO2e, respectively. RFFAs consist largely of the continuation of past and ongoing activities contributing to GHG emissions and climate changes. Emissions from these activities are likely to continue into the future at similar rates to current estimates, though emissions on a global scale may decrease to some degree over time as a result of implementation of international agreements intended to result in a decrease in global GHG emissions. Implementation of the Proposed Action or Alternative C would contribute, incrementally, to GHG emissions from ongoing and reasonably foreseeable future actions roughly in proportion to the estimates provided in Table 3-3. If international agreements are successful in reducing global GHG emissions implementation of the Proposed Action or Alternative C would make up a slightly larger percentage of global GHG emissions. However, this contribution to global GHG emissions would still be a fraction of a percent, which does not translate into effects on climate change globally. The total cumulative effect on GHG emissions and climate change would be similar to that described in Section 3.3.2.2.

Cumulative Impacts of the Alternatives. Current sources of PM10 emissions in the State of Oklahoma and Xxxxxxx and LeFlore Counties are reported in Section 3.4.1. The most substantial sources of PM10 emissions in the State of Oklahoma and in Xxxxxxx and LeFlore Counties are agriculture (crops and livestock dust) and dust from unpaved roads. These emissions make up more than half of all PM10 emissions reported in this analysis for these areas. RFFAs include the continuation of existing sources of PM10 emissions in addition to the following actions:  permitted mine operations at federal lease tract OKNM 108097,  development of the private coal tract to the north of the LBA tract,  mining at Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxx Mining Company’s Liberty Mine near Stigler, Oklahoma, and  mining at GCI’s Pollyanna mine near Spiro, Oklahoma. Production rates and specific mining methods for these actions, as well as when they would be mined, are not completely known at this time. However, assuming that they would be mined concurrently with the LBA tract they could contribute to PM10 emissions within the spatial scope of analysis. Also, assuming that mining methods would be similar to those anticipated for mining the LBA tract these RFFAs would contribute to PM10 emissions within the spatial scope of analysis in a similar fashion to that which is reported in Section 3.4.2.2. Leasing and mining the LBA tract under the Proposed Action or Alternative C would incrementally contribute to PM10 emissions within the spatial scope of analysis on top of emissions from ongoing and reasonably foreseeable future actions. Based on the analysis in Section 3.4.2.2 this incremental contribution to PM10 emissions is expected to be less than 1%. There are currently no non-attainment areas in the State of Oklahoma for criteria air pollutants, including PM10. When added to ongoing and reasonably foreseeable future actions, leasing and mining the LBA tract would not increase PM10 emissions beyond the attainment threshold.

Cumulative Impacts of the Alternatives. Xxxxxxx and LeFlore counties are primarily rural and agricultural in nature. As described in Section 3.8.1, major employment sectors in both counties include agriculture, health care, and education. In Xxxxxxx County government services is also a major employment sector. Likewise, in XxXxxxx County, forestry (including mining), construction, and light manufacturing are also major employment sectors. Average per capita and median household incomes in both counties are well below values for the state of Oklahoma as a whole (Table 3-8). RFFAs expected to contribute to economic effects in Xxxxxxx and LeFlore counties include the following:  continuation of economic activities currently operating within the economy of each county,  permitted mine operations at federal lease tract OKNM 108097,  development of the private coal tract to the north of the LBA tract,  mining at Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxx Mining Company’s Liberty Mine near Stigler, Oklahoma, and  mining at GCI’s Pollyanna mine near Spiro, Oklahoma.

Cumulative Impacts of the Alternatives. Xxxxxxx County is primarily rural and agricultural in nature. As described in Section 3.9.1, median property values in Xxxxxxx County are estimated at $85,000 (Data USA 2018) with currently advertised real estate asking prices ranging widely, from as little as approximately $4,500 to as much as nearly $1.5 million. Property values on the tract, particularly around Club Lake, are unknown. Based on available information, external factors currently influencing the quality of life of residents in Xxxxxxx County and around Club Lake include clean air and water, natural quiet, lack of congestion on area roads, the presence of open spaces including pastures and forested landscapes and rolling hills, and opportunities for boating, fishing, and hunting. RFFAs that may influence property values and quality of life concerns in the area of analysis include the following:  continuation of activities currently operating within Xxxxxxx County,  permitted mine operations at federal lease tract OKNM 108097,  development of the private coal tract to the north of the LBA tract, and  mining at Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxx Mining Company’s Liberty Mine near Stigler, Oklahoma. The continuation of activities currently operating within Xxxxxxx County is expected to contribute to ongoing property value and quality of life effects as described in Section 3.9.1. Assuming that mining activities occur concurrently rather than consecutively, reasonably foreseeable future mining operations enumerated above are expected to contribute to impacts on property values and quality of life concerns similar to those described in Section 3.9.2. However, there would be no relationship between the effects of mining at the Liberty 8 Mine and Club Lake because the Liberty 8 Mine is not located in proximity to Club Lake. Assuming that mining of the LBA tract under either action alternative (if it is leased) occurs concurrently with the aforementioned reasonably foreseeable future mining operations, the effects of leasing and mining the LBA tract described in Section 3.9.2 would be additive to the effects of RFFAs. This is particularly true for the RFFAs that are contiguous with the LBA tract (permitted mine operations at OKNM 108097 and the private coal tract to the north of the LBA tract).

Cumulative Impacts of the Alternatives. As described in the affected environment (Section 3.10.1), coal production in Oklahoma began in the first half of the 1870s (Oklahoma Historical Society 2018). Average annual coal production in Oklahoma between 2010 and 2017 was 928,085 tons while total coal production over this timeframe was 7,424,677 tons (ODM 2018). The U.S. exported approximately 55,300,000 tons of metallurgical grade bituminous coal from all U.S. coal mines in 2017 (EIA 2018). The IEA estimates that, in 2016, approximately one billion tons of metallurgical grade bituminous coal were produced worldwide (IEA 2017). Reasonably foreseeable additional bituminous coal production in Oklahoma is anticipated during the life of mining of the LBA tract. This reasonably foreseeable mining activity is associated with the following tracts:  Liberty 8,  Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxx Mining Company’s permitted mining operations on federal coal lease OKNM 108097 adjacent to the LBA tract,  the private tract to the north of the LBA tract, and  four of the five operational coal mines as of 2016 (One of the operational mines in 2016 is at Liberty. Liberty 8 represents the continuation of this mining activity). Assuming that average annual production of 928,085 tons for the years 2010-2017 continues into the foreseeable future and that annual production at Liberty 8, mining operations associated with OKNM 108097, and mining operations on the private tract to the north of the LBA tract are comparable to anticipated annual average coal production on the LBA tract (200,000-400,000 tons), it is estimated that annual coal production as a result of reasonably foreseeable additional bituminous coal production in Oklahoma would be approximately 1,528,085 to 2,128,085 tons. This production level equates to a 65%- 129% increase over the average annual coal production for the years 2010-2017. Leasing and mining the LBA tract under the Proposed Action is estimated to contribute 200,000-400,000 tons annually for 8-16 years. This annual production level represents a 13%-26% incremental increase over current average annual (2010-2017) and reasonably foreseeable annual bituminous coal production forecasts for Oklahoma. Annual bituminous coal production in Oklahoma, including current bituminous coal production operations, reasonably foreseeable bituminous coal production operations, and the LBA tract production is forecast to be between approximately 1,728,085 and 2,528,085 tons. The cumulative effects of Alternative C would be the ...