Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Notice of Public Meeting on a Federal Coal Lease Application Filed by the Antelope Coal Company in the Decertified Powder River Federal Coal Production Region, Wyoming, 61064-61066 [E6-17143]
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bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with NOTICES
61064
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 200 / Tuesday, October 17, 2006 / Notices
between Houston, Texas, and the
Louisiana state line in Chambers,
Jefferson, and Galveston Counties,
Texas. All four refuges include the
Migratory Bird Conservation Act as a
primary authority and purpose.
Moody NWR was established in 1961
and today consists of a conservation
easement on approximately 3,516 acres
of coastal marsh. Anahuac NWR was
established in 1963 and contains 34,339
acres of coastal marsh and adjoining
uplands in fee title ownership.
McFaddin NWR was established in 1980
and is 58,861 acres of primarily coastal
marsh in a mix of fee title and
conservation easements. Texas Point
NWR was established in 1979 and
consists of 8,952 acres of coastal marsh
in fee title ownership.
The integrated EIS contains two sets
of alternatives addressing two separate
but related Federal Actions: (1) Refuge
management alternatives for
development of a CCP for the Complex,
and (2) alternatives for expansion of the
refuge acquisition boundaries.
Five refuge management alternatives
are proposed and evaluated for the
Refuge Complex. The first management
alternative is the ‘‘No Action’’
alternative, required by NEPA, which
would continue the current refuge
management activities. Current habitat
management activities include (1) water
management; (2) wetland, prairie, and
woodlot restoration; (3) moist soil
management units; (4) cooperative rice
farming; (5) fire management; (6)
controlled livestock grazing; and (7)
exotic/invasive species management.
The second management alternative
emphasizes intensifying management of
wetland habitats for waterfowl,
shorebirds, wading birds, and other
wetland-dependent migratory birds. The
third management alternative
emphasizes native habitat restoration
and addressing threats from coastal land
loss, altered hydrology, exotic species,
and contaminants. The fourth
management alternative, the Service’s
preferred alternative, emphasizes an
integrated management approach
combining (1) expanded habitat
management and restoration programs,
(2) new research and wildlife
population monitoring, and (3)
increased efforts to address major
threats to ecosystem health. The fifth
management alternative emphasizes a
passive management approach. All five
of these refuge management alternatives
make wildlife-dependent recreational
opportunities available to the public,
including opportunities for hunting,
fishing, wildlife observation and
photography, and environmental
education and interpretation.
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04:06 Oct 18, 2006
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Four refuge boundary expansion
alternatives are proposed and evaluated.
The first expansion alternative is the
‘‘No Action’’ alternative, required by
NEPA, which would retain the current
refuge acquisition boundaries. The
second expansion alternative would
expand the refuge boundary for Moody
NWR by 5,050 acres; for Anahuac NWR
by 20,500 acres; for McFaddin NWR by
7,190 acres; and for Texas Point NWR
by 850 acres. The total expansion of
33,590 acres continues the historic focus
on land acquisition primarily in coastal
marsh and adjacent agricultural
uplands. The third expansion
alternative, the Service’s preferred
alternative, would expand the refuge
boundary for Moody NWR by 7,920
acres; for Anahuac NWR by 47,750
acres; for McFaddin NWR by 7,190
acres; and for Texas Point NWR by
1,400 acres. The total expansion of
64,260 acres includes all of the coastal
marsh and adjacent agricultural uplands
from the second expansion alternative
plus two important areas of native
coastal prairie. The fourth expansion
alternative would expand the refuge
boundary for Moody NWR by 7,920
acres, for Anahuac NWR by 64,910, for
McFaddin NWR by 29,890 acres, and for
Texas Point NWR by 1,400 acres. The
total expansion of 104,120 acres
includes all of the lands in the third
expansion alternative along with a large
freshwater marsh north of the current
McFaddin NWR and a near-coast
bottomland hardwood area important to
neotropical migratory birds. Lands
acquired in the future would be
managed according to the strategies
contained in the Service’s preferred
management alternative.
Public Meetings: The Service will
hold at least two public meetings in
Chambers and Jefferson Counties, Texas,
30 days after publication of this notice
to present the draft document, answer
questions, and receive formal public
comments. Notice of the meetings will
be posted in local newspapers and other
media outlets and given through special
mailings to individuals and
organizations that have expressed
interest in this planning effort.
Editorial note: This document was received
at the Office of the Federal Register October
11, 2006.
Dated: April 3, 2006.
Geoffrey L. Haskett,
Acting, Regional Director, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service,Albuquerque, New Mexico.
[FR Doc. E6–17087 Filed 10–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory
Committee
U.S. Geological Survey.
Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Pursuant to Public Law 106–
503, the Scientific Earthquake Studies
Advisory Committee (SESAC) will hold
its fourteenth meeting. The meeting
location is the Albuquerque
Seismological Laboratory, 10002 Isleta
Road, SE, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
87117. The Committee is comprised of
members from academia, industry, and
State government. The Committee shall
advise the Director of the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS) on matters
relating to the USGS’s participation in
the National Earthquake Hazards
Reduction Program.
The Committee will provide guidance
on the USGS’s contributions to the
Global Seismographic Network and
report preparation.
Meetings of the Scientific Earthquake
Studies Advisory Committee are open to
the public.
DATES: October 30, 2006, commencing at
9 a.m. and adjourning at noon on
October 31, 2006.
Contact: Dr. David Applegate, U.S.
Geological Survey, MS 905, 12201
Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia
20192, (703) 648–6714,
applegate@usgs.gov.
SUMMARY:
Dated: October 2, 2006.
Rama Kotra,
Acting Associate Director for Geology.
[FR Doc. 06–8716 Filed 10–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4311–AM–M
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WY–060–1320–EL, WYW163340]
Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
and Notice of Public Meeting on a
Federal Coal Lease Application Filed
by the Antelope Coal Company in the
Decertified Powder River Federal Coal
Production Region, Wyoming
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent and notice of
public hearing.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102 (2)
(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended,
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
E:\FR\FM\17OCN1.SGM
17OCN1
bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 200 / Tuesday, October 17, 2006 / Notices
Casper Field Office announces its intent
to prepare an EIS on the potential
impacts of a proposal to surface mine a
tract of Federal coal as requested by
Antelope Coal Company (Antelope) in
Lease-by-Application (LBA) case
number WYW163340. Under the
provisions of 43 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) 3425.1, the Antelope
Coal Company (Antelope) has submitted
a competitive coal LBA for a
maintenance tract of Federal coal. The
tract is known as the West Antelope II
Tract and is adjacent to the Antelope
Mine in Campbell and Converse
Counties.
DATES: This notice initiates the public
scoping process. To provide the public
with an opportunity to review the
proposal and gain understanding of the
LBA process, the BLM will host a
meeting on November 1, 2006 at 7 p.m.
at the Best Western Douglas Inn, 1450
Riverbend Drive, Douglas, Wyoming. At
the meeting, the public is invited to
submit comments and resource
information, plus identify issues or
concerns to be considered in the LBA
process. The BLM can best use public
input if comments and resource
information are submitted by December
1, 2006. The BLM will announce future
public meetings and other opportunities
to submit comments on this project at
least 15 days prior to the events.
Announcements will be made through
local news media and the Casper Field
Office’s Web site, which is: https://
www.wy.blm.gov/cfo.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nancy Doelger or Mike Karbs, BLM
Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector
Drive, Casper, Wyoming 82604. Ms.
Doelger or Mr. Karbs may also be
reached at (307) 261–7600.
ADDRESSES: Please submit written
comments or concerns to the BLM
Casper Field Office, Attn: Nancy
Doelger, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper,
Wyoming 82604. Written comments or
resource information may also be handdelivered to the BLM Casper Field
Office or sent by facsimile to the
attention of Nancy Doelger at (307) 261–
7587. Comments may be sent
electronically to
casper_wymail@blm.gov. Please put
‘‘West Antelope II LBA Tract/Nancy
Doelger’’ in the subject line.
Members of the public may examine
documents pertinent to this proposal by
visiting the Casper Field Office during
its business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.), Monday through Friday, except
holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
provisions of 43 Code of Federal
Regulation (CFR) 3425.1, Antelope
submitted an application on April 6,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
04:06 Oct 18, 2006
Jkt 211001
2005 for a competitive coal lease for a
maintenance tract adjacent to the
company’s Antelope Mine in Campbell
and Converse Counties, Wyoming. A
maintenance tract is a parcel of land
containing Federal coal reserves that
can be leased to maintain production at
an existing mine. The tract is known as
the West Antelope II Tract. Consistent
with Federal regulations under NEPA
and Minerals Leasing Act of 1920, as
amended, the BLM must prepare an
environmental analysis prior to holding
a competitive Federal coal lease sale.
The Powder River Regional Coal Team
reviewed this LBA at a public meeting
held on April 27, 2005, in Gillette,
Wyoming, and recommended that the
BLM process it.
The West Antelope II Tract
application includes approximately
429.7 million tons of in-place Federal
coal underlying the following lands in
Campbell and Converse counties,
Wyoming:
T. 40 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 5: Lot 18;
Section 8: Lots 1 through 3, 6 through 11,
14 through 16;
Section 9: Lots 2 through 16;
Section 10: Lots 5, 6, 11 through 14;
T. 41 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 9: Lots 9 through 16;
Section 10: Lots 11 through 15;
Section 14: Lots 3 and 4;
Section 15: Lots 1 through 5, 12, 13;
Section 20: Lots 14 through 16;
Section 21: Lots 1 through 16;
Section 22: Lots 2, 7, 8, 14 through 16;
Section 27: Lots 6 through 11;
Section 28: Lots 1 through 8;
Section 29: Lots 1 through 3, 6 through 8.
Containing 4,108.6 acres more or less.
Antelope proposes to mine the tract as
a part of the Antelope Mine. At the 2005
mining rate of 30 million tons per year,
the coal included in the West Antelope
II Tract would extend the life of the
Antelope Mine by as many as 14 years.
In accordance with 43 CFR 3425.1–9,
the BLM may modify the LBA adding or
subtracting lands to avoid bypassing
Federal coal or to increase potential
competitive interest in the tract. The
BLM has identified a study area that
includes unleased Federal coal in and
around the tract that will be evaluated
for inclusion in the tract.
Lands in the application contain
private surface estate overlying the
Federal coal. In the study area, the
surface estate overlying the Federal coal
is both privately- and federally-owned.
The federally-owned lands are part of
the Thunder Basin National Grassland
(TBNG), National Forest System
administered by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture Forest Service (FS).
The Antelope Mine is operating under
approved mining permits from the Land
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Frm 00052
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
61065
Quality and Air Quality Divisions of the
Wyoming Department of Environmental
Quality.
The FS and the Office of Surface
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
(OSM) will be cooperating agencies in
the preparation of the EIS. Before the
tract can be leased the FS must consent
to leasing the portion of the tract that is
part of the TBNG. If the West Antelope
II Tract is leased to the applicant, the
new lease must be incorporated into the
existing mining and reclamation plan
for the adjacent mine. Before the Federal
coal in the tract can be mined the
Secretary of the Interior must approve
the revised Mineral Leasing Act (MLA)
mining plan. The OSM is the Federal
agency that is responsible for
recommending approval, approval with
conditions, or disapproval of the revised
MLA mining plan to the Office of the
Secretary of the Interior. Other
cooperating agencies may be identified
during the scoping process.
The BLM will provide interested
parties the opportunity to submit
comments or relevant information or
both. This information will help the
BLM identify issues to be considered in
preparing a draft EIS for the West
Antelope II Tract. Issues that have been
identified in analyzing the impacts of
previous Federal coal leasing actions in
the Wyoming Powder River Basin (PRB)
include the need for resolution of
conflicts between existing and proposed
oil and gas development and coal
mining on the tracts proposed for coal
leasing; potential impacts to big game
herds and hunting; potential impacts to
sage grouse; potential impacts to listed
threatened and endangered species;
potential health impacts related to
blasting operations conducted by the
mines to remove overburden and coal;
the need to consider the cumulative
impacts of coal leasing decisions
combined with other existing and
proposed development in the Wyoming
PRB; and potential site-specific and
cumulative impacts on air and water
quality.
Your response is important and will
be considered in the EIS process. If you
do respond, we will keep you informed
of the availability of environmental
documents that address impacts that
might occur from this proposal.
We release all comments to the
public, including names, addresses,
phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and
other personal identifying information.
If you comment as a private
individual in your personal capacity,
you may ask us to withhold personal
identifying information from the public.
E:\FR\FM\17OCN1.SGM
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61066
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 200 / Tuesday, October 17, 2006 / Notices
You must do so prominently in writing
at the beginning of your comments and
must tell us precisely what you want us
to withhold. You also must explain in
detail why releasing that personal
identifying information to the public
would constitute a clearly unwarranted
invasion of privacy. General assertions
that are not supported by specific facts
will not meet that burden.
We will withhold personal identifying
information from release to the public in
response to your request only where, in
our judgment, you present sufficient
factual justification for our doing so
under current laws, regulations, and
court decisions. Typically,
notwithstanding your request, in all but
the most exceptional circumstances, we
will release to the public all of the
personal identifying information that
you submit.
If you comment as or on behalf of an
organization or business, we will release
your comments to the public in their
entirety, including all personal
identifying information. We will not
consider a request from an organization
or business, or anyone commenting on
behalf of an organization or business,
that we withhold any personal
identifying information from release to
the public.
Dated: September 22, 2006.
Robert A. Bennett,
State Director.
[FR Doc. E6–17143 Filed 10–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[OR–025–06–5870–EU; HAG 06–0165]
Sale of Public Land; Harney County,
OR
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of realty action.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice announces the
proposed sale of 24 parcels of public
land, totaling 2905.42 acres, located in
Harney County, Oregon at not less than
appraised market value. These parcels
are proposed to be sold through
competitive and modified competitive
procedures.
DATES: Written comments concerning
the proposed sale must be received by
the BLM on or before December 1, 2006.
OR–56577 ...
OR–61541 ...
T.27 S., R.34 E., sec. 21, NE1⁄4SE1⁄4 ....
T.19 S., R.34 E., sec. 17, E1⁄2NW1⁄4 ......
40.00
80.00
$3,400
16,000
OR–61542 ...
T.22 S., R.30 E., sec. 7, lot 3,
NE1⁄4SW1⁄4, NW1⁄4SE1⁄4.
T.22 S., R.30 E., sec. 10, lot 1. ..............
119.53
22,700
0.51
200
T.24 S., R.33 E., sec. 30, NE1⁄4 .............
T.24 S., R.33 E., sec. 33, E1⁄2NE1⁄4;
sec. 34, N1⁄2NW1⁄4, SW1⁄4NW1⁄4,
NW1⁄4SW1⁄4.
T.25 S., R.321⁄2 E., sec. 13, W1⁄2NE1⁄4 ..
T.25 S., R321⁄2 E., sec. 24, lot 2,
NW1⁄4NE1⁄4.
T.26 S., R.30 E., South of Malheur
Lake, sec. 35, E1⁄2SE1⁄4; T.27 S.,
R.30 E., sec. 2, lot 1.
T.26 S., R.31 E., North of Malheur Lake,
sec. 5, four unnumbered government
lots in N1⁄2N1⁄2.
T.26 S., R.31 E., North of Malheur Lake,
sec. 5, S1⁄2SW1⁄4; sec. 6, S1⁄2SE1⁄4;
sec. 7, NE1⁄4NE1⁄4.
T.26 S., R.31 E., North of Malheur Lake,
sec. 9, S1⁄2NW1⁄4.
T.26 S., R.31 E., North of Malheur Lake,
sec. 22, S1⁄2NW1⁄4.
T.26 S., R.33 E., sec 34, N1⁄2NW1⁄4 .......
T.26 S., R.34 E., sec. 4, SW1⁄4SW1⁄4;
sec. 5, SE1⁄4SE1⁄4.
160.00
240.00
OR–61546 ...
OR–61547 ...
OR–61548 ...
OR–61549 ...
OR–61550 ...
bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with NOTICES
OR–61551 ...
OR–61552 ...
OR–61553 ...
OR–61554 ...
VerDate Aug<31>2005
04:06 Oct 18, 2006
Jkt 211001
PO 00000
Acres
Market
value/
minimum
bid
Legal description
OR–61544 ...
OR–61545 ...
Skip
Renchler, Realty Specialist, at (541)
573–4443.
Serial No.
OR–61543 ...
Address all written
comments to Joan Suther, Three Rivers
Resource Area Field Manager, Burns
District Office, 28910 Hwy 20 West,
Hines, Oregon 97738. Comments
expressed verbally or in electronic
format will not be accepted.
ADDRESSES:
Frm 00053
The
following described public lands in
Harney County, Oregon are suitable for
sale under Sections 203 and 209 of the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (90 Stat. 2750, 43 U.S.C.
1713 and 1719). The lands are difficult
and uneconomic to manage as a part of
the public lands and are not suitable for
management by another Federal agency.
No significant resource values will be
affected by this disposal. The parcels
proposed for sale are identified as
suitable for disposal in the Three Rivers
Resource Management Plan, dated
August 1992. All of the land described
is within the Willamette Meridian. The
parcels proposed for sale are identified
as follows.
Bidding procedure
Designated bidder(s)
Competitive
Modified
Competitive.
Competitive
None.
John and Judy Ahmann.
Gerard J. LaBrecque
21,600
58,100
Modified
Competitive.
Competitive
Competitive
80.00
79.81
9,100
9,200
Competitive
Competitive
None.
None.
119.76
19,100
Competitive
None.
160.00
16,800
Competitive
None.
200.00
19,600
Competitive
None.
80.00
8,000
Competitive
None.
80.00
8,000
Competitive
None.
80.00
80.00
9,800
6,800
Competitive
Modified
Competitive.
None.
Bell A Grazing Cooperative, Thompson
Ranches, Inc.
Fmt 4703
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None.
None.
None.
17OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 200 (Tuesday, October 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61064-61066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17143]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WY-060-1320-EL, WYW163340]
Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) and Notice of Public Meeting on a Federal Coal Lease
Application Filed by the Antelope Coal Company in the Decertified
Powder River Federal Coal Production Region, Wyoming
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent and notice of public hearing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102 (2) (C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM),
[[Page 61065]]
Casper Field Office announces its intent to prepare an EIS on the
potential impacts of a proposal to surface mine a tract of Federal coal
as requested by Antelope Coal Company (Antelope) in Lease-by-
Application (LBA) case number WYW163340. Under the provisions of 43
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3425.1, the Antelope Coal Company
(Antelope) has submitted a competitive coal LBA for a maintenance tract
of Federal coal. The tract is known as the West Antelope II Tract and
is adjacent to the Antelope Mine in Campbell and Converse Counties.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. To provide the
public with an opportunity to review the proposal and gain
understanding of the LBA process, the BLM will host a meeting on
November 1, 2006 at 7 p.m. at the Best Western Douglas Inn, 1450
Riverbend Drive, Douglas, Wyoming. At the meeting, the public is
invited to submit comments and resource information, plus identify
issues or concerns to be considered in the LBA process. The BLM can
best use public input if comments and resource information are
submitted by December 1, 2006. The BLM will announce future public
meetings and other opportunities to submit comments on this project at
least 15 days prior to the events. Announcements will be made through
local news media and the Casper Field Office's Web site, which is:
https://www.wy.blm.gov/cfo.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Doelger or Mike Karbs, BLM
Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, Wyoming 82604. Ms.
Doelger or Mr. Karbs may also be reached at (307) 261-7600.
ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments or concerns to the BLM Casper
Field Office, Attn: Nancy Doelger, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper,
Wyoming 82604. Written comments or resource information may also be
hand-delivered to the BLM Casper Field Office or sent by facsimile to
the attention of Nancy Doelger at (307) 261-7587. Comments may be sent
electronically to casper_wymail@blm.gov. Please put ``West Antelope II
LBA Tract/Nancy Doelger'' in the subject line.
Members of the public may examine documents pertinent to this
proposal by visiting the Casper Field Office during its business hours
(7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the provisions of 43 Code of Federal
Regulation (CFR) 3425.1, Antelope submitted an application on April 6,
2005 for a competitive coal lease for a maintenance tract adjacent to
the company's Antelope Mine in Campbell and Converse Counties, Wyoming.
A maintenance tract is a parcel of land containing Federal coal
reserves that can be leased to maintain production at an existing mine.
The tract is known as the West Antelope II Tract. Consistent with
Federal regulations under NEPA and Minerals Leasing Act of 1920, as
amended, the BLM must prepare an environmental analysis prior to
holding a competitive Federal coal lease sale. The Powder River
Regional Coal Team reviewed this LBA at a public meeting held on April
27, 2005, in Gillette, Wyoming, and recommended that the BLM process
it.
The West Antelope II Tract application includes approximately 429.7
million tons of in-place Federal coal underlying the following lands in
Campbell and Converse counties, Wyoming:
T. 40 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 5: Lot 18;
Section 8: Lots 1 through 3, 6 through 11, 14 through 16;
Section 9: Lots 2 through 16;
Section 10: Lots 5, 6, 11 through 14;
T. 41 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 9: Lots 9 through 16;
Section 10: Lots 11 through 15;
Section 14: Lots 3 and 4;
Section 15: Lots 1 through 5, 12, 13;
Section 20: Lots 14 through 16;
Section 21: Lots 1 through 16;
Section 22: Lots 2, 7, 8, 14 through 16;
Section 27: Lots 6 through 11;
Section 28: Lots 1 through 8;
Section 29: Lots 1 through 3, 6 through 8.
Containing 4,108.6 acres more or less.
Antelope proposes to mine the tract as a part of the Antelope Mine.
At the 2005 mining rate of 30 million tons per year, the coal included
in the West Antelope II Tract would extend the life of the Antelope
Mine by as many as 14 years. In accordance with 43 CFR 3425.1-9, the
BLM may modify the LBA adding or subtracting lands to avoid bypassing
Federal coal or to increase potential competitive interest in the
tract. The BLM has identified a study area that includes unleased
Federal coal in and around the tract that will be evaluated for
inclusion in the tract.
Lands in the application contain private surface estate overlying
the Federal coal. In the study area, the surface estate overlying the
Federal coal is both privately- and federally-owned. The federally-
owned lands are part of the Thunder Basin National Grassland (TBNG),
National Forest System administered by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture Forest Service (FS).
The Antelope Mine is operating under approved mining permits from
the Land Quality and Air Quality Divisions of the Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality.
The FS and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
(OSM) will be cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS.
Before the tract can be leased the FS must consent to leasing the
portion of the tract that is part of the TBNG. If the West Antelope II
Tract is leased to the applicant, the new lease must be incorporated
into the existing mining and reclamation plan for the adjacent mine.
Before the Federal coal in the tract can be mined the Secretary of the
Interior must approve the revised Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) mining
plan. The OSM is the Federal agency that is responsible for
recommending approval, approval with conditions, or disapproval of the
revised MLA mining plan to the Office of the Secretary of the Interior.
Other cooperating agencies may be identified during the scoping
process.
The BLM will provide interested parties the opportunity to submit
comments or relevant information or both. This information will help
the BLM identify issues to be considered in preparing a draft EIS for
the West Antelope II Tract. Issues that have been identified in
analyzing the impacts of previous Federal coal leasing actions in the
Wyoming Powder River Basin (PRB) include the need for resolution of
conflicts between existing and proposed oil and gas development and
coal mining on the tracts proposed for coal leasing; potential impacts
to big game herds and hunting; potential impacts to sage grouse;
potential impacts to listed threatened and endangered species;
potential health impacts related to blasting operations conducted by
the mines to remove overburden and coal; the need to consider the
cumulative impacts of coal leasing decisions combined with other
existing and proposed development in the Wyoming PRB; and potential
site-specific and cumulative impacts on air and water quality.
Your response is important and will be considered in the EIS
process. If you do respond, we will keep you informed of the
availability of environmental documents that address impacts that might
occur from this proposal.
We release all comments to the public, including names, addresses,
phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and other personal identifying
information.
If you comment as a private individual in your personal capacity,
you may ask us to withhold personal identifying information from the
public.
[[Page 61066]]
You must do so prominently in writing at the beginning of your comments
and must tell us precisely what you want us to withhold. You also must
explain in detail why releasing that personal identifying information
to the public would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
privacy. General assertions that are not supported by specific facts
will not meet that burden.
We will withhold personal identifying information from release to
the public in response to your request only where, in our judgment, you
present sufficient factual justification for our doing so under current
laws, regulations, and court decisions. Typically, notwithstanding your
request, in all but the most exceptional circumstances, we will release
to the public all of the personal identifying information that you
submit.
If you comment as or on behalf of an organization or business, we
will release your comments to the public in their entirety, including
all personal identifying information. We will not consider a request
from an organization or business, or anyone commenting on behalf of an
organization or business, that we withhold any personal identifying
information from release to the public.
Dated: September 22, 2006.
Robert A. Bennett,
State Director.
[FR Doc. E6-17143 Filed 10-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
