Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Pit 14 Coal Lease-by-Application (LBA) and Federal Coal Notice of Hearing, Wyoming, 14941-14942 [06-2599]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 57 / Friday, March 24, 2006 / Notices wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES we announce that we are amending and reopening this 5-year review to include the entire West Indian manatee subspecies. Public Solicitation of New Information To ensure that the 5-year review is complete and based on the best available scientific and commercial information, we are soliciting information from the public, concerned governmental agencies, Tribes, the scientific community, industry, environmental entities, and any other interested parties concerning the status of the manatee. The 5-year review considers the best scientific and commercial data and all new information that has become available since the listing determination or most recent status review. Categories of requested information include (A) species biology, including but not limited to population trends, distribution, abundance, demographics, and genetics; (B) habitat conditions, including but not limited to amount, distribution, and suitability; (C) conservation measures that have been implemented that benefit the species; (D) threat status and trends; and (E) other new information, data, or corrections, including but not limited to taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of erroneous information contained in the List, and improved analytical methods. Information submitted should be supported by documentation such as maps, bibliographic references, methods used to gather and analyze the data, and/or copies of any pertinent publications, reports, or letters by knowledgeable sources. If you wish to provide information for this 5-year review, you may submit your comments and materials to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Jacksonville, Florida Ecological Services Office (see ADDRESSES). Our practice is to make comments, including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. Respondents may request that we withhold a respondent’s identity, as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold your name or address, you must state this request prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will not, however, consider anonymous comments. To the extent consistent with applicable law, we will make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety. Comments and materials received will VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:26 Mar 23, 2006 Jkt 208001 be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours (see ADDRESSES). Authority This document is published under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Dated: March 2, 2006. Cynthia K. Dohner, Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region. [FR Doc. E6–4280 Filed 3–23–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–55–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [WY–040–1320–EL, WYW160394] Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Pit 14 Coal Lease-byApplication (LBA) and Federal Coal Notice of Hearing, Wyoming Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: SUMMARY: NOA of the DEIS for the Pit 14 Coal LBA, a maintenance lease for Federal coal in the decertified Green River-Hamms Fork Coal Production Region, Wyoming and Notice of Public Hearing. DATES: The DEIS will be available for review and comment for 60 calendar days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes its NOA in the Federal Register. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) can best use comments and resource information if they are submitted by, or before, close of business the day of the end of the comment and review period. If you are uncertain as to what constitutes acceptable comment format or when comments are due, please contact the Project Manager or the Rock Springs Field Office at the address below. The public hearing will be held at 2 p.m. MST, on May 10, 2006, at the BLM, Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, Wyoming, to solicit comments on the DEIS from the public on the proposed competitive sale of the Federal coal included in the Pit 14 LBA and on the fair market value and maximum economic recovery of the Federal coal included in the tract. ADDRESSES: A copy of the DEIS was sent to affected Federal, State, and local government agencies and to interested parties. The document may also be available electronically on the following PO 00000 Frm 00110 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 14941 Web site: https://www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/ nepadocs.htm. Copies of the DEIS will be available for public inspection at the following locations: • Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003. • Bureau of Land Management, Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, Wyoming 82901. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Teri Deakins, Project Manager, BLM Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 82901. Requests for information may be sent electronically to: rock springs_wymail@blm.gov with ‘‘Attention: Pit 14 Coal Lease-byApplication DEIS Information Request’’ in the subject line. Ms. Deakins may also be reached at (307) 352–0211. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Black Butte Coal Company (BBCC) filed a lease application with BLM to access Federal coal reserves located adjacent to their existing Black Butte Mine in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The LBA tract is located approximately 28 miles southeast of Rock Springs, Wyoming. The LBA tract is composed of the following public lands and minerals. T. 17 N., R. 101 W., 6th PM, Wyoming Sec. 2, Lots 3, 4, SW1⁄4NW1⁄4; Sec. 4, Lots 1, 2, S1⁄2NE1⁄4, SE1⁄4NW1⁄4, NE1⁄4SW1⁄4, S1⁄2SW1⁄4, SE1⁄4; Sec. 10, NW1⁄4, N1⁄2SW1⁄4; T. 18 N., R. 101 W., 6th PM, Wyoming Sec. 34, E1⁄2, E1⁄2NW1⁄4, SW1⁄4. Containing 1399.48 acres, more or less. BBCC estimates approximately 34.6 million tons of in-place coal reserves are present in the Upper Cretaceous Almond Formation within the project area. The project area contains the LBA tract and privately held lands and minerals. BLM will evaluate the volume and average quality of the coal reserves in the LBA portion of the project area as part of the fair market value determination process. The BLM published its Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the Pit 14 Coal Lease-by-Application (Federal Coal Lease Application WYW160394) in the Federal Register on January 7, 2005. Based upon issues and concerns identified during scoping and during the development of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis, the Pit 14 Coal Lease-byApplication DEIS focuses on individual and cumulative impacts to air quality, biological and physical resources, transportation, and socio-economics factors. In compliance with Section 7(c), of the Endangered Species Act, as amended, the DEIS includes a E:\FR\FM\24MRN1.SGM 24MRN1 14942 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 57 / Friday, March 24, 2006 / Notices discussion of endangered or threatened species which may be affected by the Proposed Action. Formal consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was initiated for Colorado River fish species on November 10, 2005. This DEIS assesses the effects of implementing the proposed action which is the leasing of the coal reserves in the LBA tract as a maintenance tract to the existing Black Butte Mine. The Pit 14 Coal LBA DEIS analyzes two alternatives in detail: 1. Proposed Action. The alternative as proposed by BBCC analyses the impacts of leasing Federal coal and the impacts associated with surface mining. 2. No Action Alternative. This alternative would deny the coal lease as proposed. wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES Agency Preferred Alternative BLM’s preferred alternative is the Proposed Action. The Proposed Action is in conformance with the Green River Resource Management Plan. The Black Butte Coal Mine started operations in the late 1970s and continues to operate today. Existing production is slowing because existing privately held and federally leased coal reserves are too deep to be economically recovered by conventional surface mining methods (draglines). As a result, additional mineable coal reserves are needed to meet production requirements of the company’s customers including the Jim Bridger Power Plant to meet the growing regional demand for electricity. How to Submit Comments Comments must be submitted using one of the following methods: 1. Comments may be electronically mailed to rock springs_wymail@blm.gov with ‘‘Attention: Pit 14 Coal Lease-byApplication’’ in the subject line, and avoiding the use of special characters or any form of encryption. If you do not receive a confirmation from our system that your comment has been received, please contact Teri Deakins, Project Manager, Rock Springs Field Office, (307) 352–0211; 2. Written comments may be mailed directly or delivered to the BLM at: Project Manager, Pit 14 Coal LBA, Bureau of Land Management Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 82901; 3. Comments may be sent via telefax to the BLM, Attn: Teri Deakins, at (307) 352–0328. 4. Comments may be given at the public hearing to be held at 2 p.m. MST, on May 10, 2006, at the BLM, Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, Wyoming. VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:26 Mar 23, 2006 Jkt 208001 To be given consideration by BLM, all DEIS comments must include the commenter’s name and street address. BLM’s practice is to make all comments, including the names and street addresses of each respondent, available for public review at the BLM office listed above during business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. Your comments may be published as part of the EIS process. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or street address or both from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written comments. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. BLM will not consider anonymous comments. All submissions from organizations or businesses will be made available for public inspection in their entirety. Dated: January 13, 2006. Robert A. Bennett, State Director. [FR Doc. 06–2599 Filed 3–23–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–22–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [WY–030–06–5101–ER–K087; WYW–166510] Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Overland Pass Natural Gas Liquids Pipeline in Wyoming, Colorado, and Kansas Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and notice of public scoping meetings. AGENCY: SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 (2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and in response to a Rightof-Way (ROW) application filed by Williams Field Services Company (Williams), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Rawlins Field Office, announces its intention to prepare an EIS and conduct public scoping meetings. Williams proposes to construct an approximately 750-mile long, 20-inch diameter natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline originating at existing facilities in Opal, Wyoming, and ending at existing NGL processing facilities in Conway, Kansas. Of the 750 miles, approximately 78 miles of the pipeline would not be located near existing pipelines. PO 00000 Frm 00111 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 This notice initiates the public scoping process. The BLM can best use public input if comments and resource information are submitted within 45 days of publication of this notice. To provide the public an opportunity to review the proposal and project information, the BLM expects to hold at least four meetings. The meetings will be conducted in an ‘‘open house’’ format in the evening with the BLM and project proponents available to explain project details and gather information from interested individuals or groups. BLM is proposing to host open houses in the following communities: Cheyenne and Rock Springs, Wyoming; Greeley, Colorado; and Hays, Kansas. The BLM will announce the exact dates, times, and locations for these meetings at least 15 days prior to the event. Announcements will be made by news release to the media, individual letter mailings, and posting on the BLM’s Web site listed below, if it is available. ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments or resource information to the Bureau of Land Management, Montrose Field Office, Tom Hurshman, Overland Pass Pipeline Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 2465 South Townsend, Montrose, CO 81401. Comments or resource information may also be submitted by facsimile to (970) 240–5367. Electronic mail may be sent to: tom_hurshman@co.blm.gov. Please write ‘‘Overland Pass Pipeline Project’’ in the subject line. Documents pertinent to the ROW application may be examined at: • Bureau of Land Management, Rawlins Field Office, P.O. Box 2407, 1300 N. Third Street, Rawlins, Wyoming 82301. Telephone (307) 328–4200; or • Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, Public Room, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY 82003. Telephone (307) 775–6256. Your response is important and will be considered in the environmental analysis process. If you do respond, we will keep you informed of the decision resulting from this analysis. Please note that public comments and information submitted regarding this project, including the names, e-mail addresses, and street addresses of respondents, will be available for public review and disclosure at the Montrose and Rawlins Field Offices during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday (except holidays). Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name, e-mail address, or street address from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of DATES: E:\FR\FM\24MRN1.SGM 24MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14941-14942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-2599]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-040-1320-EL, WYW160394]


Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the Pit 14 Coal Lease-by-Application (LBA) and 
Federal Coal Notice of Hearing, Wyoming

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NOA of the DEIS for the Pit 14 Coal LBA, a maintenance lease 
for Federal coal in the decertified Green River-Hamms Fork Coal 
Production Region, Wyoming and Notice of Public Hearing.

DATES: The DEIS will be available for review and comment for 60 
calendar days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
publishes its NOA in the Federal Register. The Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) can best use comments and resource information if they 
are submitted by, or before, close of business the day of the end of 
the comment and review period. If you are uncertain as to what 
constitutes acceptable comment format or when comments are due, please 
contact the Project Manager or the Rock Springs Field Office at the 
address below. The public hearing will be held at 2 p.m. MST, on May 
10, 2006, at the BLM, Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, 
Rock Springs, Wyoming, to solicit comments on the DEIS from the public 
on the proposed competitive sale of the Federal coal included in the 
Pit 14 LBA and on the fair market value and maximum economic recovery 
of the Federal coal included in the tract.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the DEIS was sent to affected Federal, State, and 
local government agencies and to interested parties. The document may 
also be available electronically on the following Web site: https://
www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/nepadocs.htm. Copies of the DEIS will be available 
for public inspection at the following locations:
     Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353 
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003.
     Bureau of Land Management, Rock Springs Field Office, 280 
Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, Wyoming 82901.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Teri Deakins, Project Manager, BLM 
Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 
82901. Requests for information may be sent electronically to: rock 
springs_wymail@blm.gov with ``Attention: Pit 14 Coal Lease-by-
Application DEIS Information Request'' in the subject line. Ms. Deakins 
may also be reached at (307) 352-0211.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Black Butte Coal Company (BBCC) filed a 
lease application with BLM to access Federal coal reserves located 
adjacent to their existing Black Butte Mine in Sweetwater County, 
Wyoming. The LBA tract is located approximately 28 miles southeast of 
Rock Springs, Wyoming. The LBA tract is composed of the following 
public lands and minerals.

T. 17 N., R. 101 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
    Sec. 2, Lots 3, 4, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\; Sec. 4, Lots 1, 2, S\1/
2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\; 
Sec. 10, NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\;
     T. 18 N., R. 101 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
    Sec. 34, E\1/2\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\.

    Containing 1399.48 acres, more or less.

    BBCC estimates approximately 34.6 million tons of in-place coal 
reserves are present in the Upper Cretaceous Almond Formation within 
the project area. The project area contains the LBA tract and privately 
held lands and minerals. BLM will evaluate the volume and average 
quality of the coal reserves in the LBA portion of the project area as 
part of the fair market value determination process.
    The BLM published its Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the 
Pit 14 Coal Lease-by-Application (Federal Coal Lease Application 
WYW160394) in the Federal Register on January 7, 2005. Based upon 
issues and concerns identified during scoping and during the 
development of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis, the 
Pit 14 Coal Lease-by-Application DEIS focuses on individual and 
cumulative impacts to air quality, biological and physical resources, 
transportation, and socio-economics factors. In compliance with Section 
7(c), of the Endangered Species Act, as amended, the DEIS includes a

[[Page 14942]]

discussion of endangered or threatened species which may be affected by 
the Proposed Action. Formal consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service was initiated for Colorado River fish species on November 10, 
2005.
    This DEIS assesses the effects of implementing the proposed action 
which is the leasing of the coal reserves in the LBA tract as a 
maintenance tract to the existing Black Butte Mine.
    The Pit 14 Coal LBA DEIS analyzes two alternatives in detail:
    1. Proposed Action. The alternative as proposed by BBCC analyses 
the impacts of leasing Federal coal and the impacts associated with 
surface mining.
    2. No Action Alternative. This alternative would deny the coal 
lease as proposed.

Agency Preferred Alternative

    BLM's preferred alternative is the Proposed Action. The Proposed 
Action is in conformance with the Green River Resource Management Plan.
    The Black Butte Coal Mine started operations in the late 1970s and 
continues to operate today. Existing production is slowing because 
existing privately held and federally leased coal reserves are too deep 
to be economically recovered by conventional surface mining methods 
(draglines). As a result, additional mineable coal reserves are needed 
to meet production requirements of the company's customers including 
the Jim Bridger Power Plant to meet the growing regional demand for 
electricity.

How to Submit Comments

    Comments must be submitted using one of the following methods:
    1. Comments may be electronically mailed to rock springs_
wymail@blm.gov with ``Attention: Pit 14 Coal Lease-by-Application'' in 
the subject line, and avoiding the use of special characters or any 
form of encryption. If you do not receive a confirmation from our 
system that your comment has been received, please contact Teri 
Deakins, Project Manager, Rock Springs Field Office, (307) 352-0211;
    2. Written comments may be mailed directly or delivered to the BLM 
at: Project Manager, Pit 14 Coal LBA, Bureau of Land Management Rock 
Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 82901;
    3. Comments may be sent via telefax to the BLM, Attn: Teri Deakins, 
at (307) 352-0328.
    4. Comments may be given at the public hearing to be held at 2 p.m. 
MST, on May 10, 2006, at the BLM, Rock Springs Field Office, 280 
Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, Wyoming.
    To be given consideration by BLM, all DEIS comments must include 
the commenter's name and street address.
    BLM's practice is to make all comments, including the names and 
street addresses of each respondent, available for public review at the 
BLM office listed above during business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), 
Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. Your comments may 
be published as part of the EIS process. Individual respondents may 
request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or street 
address or both from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom 
of Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of 
your written comments. Such requests will be honored to the extent 
allowed by law. BLM will not consider anonymous comments. All 
submissions from organizations or businesses will be made available for 
public inspection in their entirety.

    Dated: January 13, 2006.
Robert A. Bennett,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 06-2599 Filed 3-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
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