What are the roles of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the other federal and state agencies?
The USACE and the US Office of Surface Mining (OSM) are both cooperating agencies in the process and will be actively involved in the analysis and LUA/EIS preparation. The existing uses, resource data, and plans for the area will come primarily from the USACE and West Virginia Department of Natural Resources (WVDNR), who has a license for use of the East Lynn Lake Project area from USACE. OSM and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) will be involved in mine permitting if leasing occurs. Other federal, state and local agencies will be participating in the process and some will implement specific consultation processes. Examples of those processes include the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for threatened and endangered species, and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for cultural resources and consultation with Native American Tribes.
