Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Notice of Public Meeting on Four Federal Coal Lease Applications in the Decertified Powder River Federal Coal Production Region, WY, 36476-36478 [E7-12889]
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36476
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 127 / Tuesday, July 3, 2007 / Notices
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occurred or terminated. Form HUD–
903.1 was developed in order to
promote consistency in the documents
that, by statute, must be provided to
persons against whom complaints are
filed, and for the convenience of the
general public. Section 103.25 of HUD’s
Fair Housing Act regulation describes
the information that must be included
in each complaint filed with HUD. For
purposes of meeting the Act’s one-year
time limitation for filing complaints
with HUD, complaints need not be
initially submitted on the Form that
HUD provides. Housing Discrimination
Information Form HUD–903.1 (English
language), HUD–903.1A (Spanish
language), HUD–903–1B (Chinese
language), HUD–903.1F (Vietnamese
language), HUD–903.1KOR (Korean
language), HUD–903.1C (Arabic
language), HUD–903.1CAM (Cambodian
language), and HUD–903.1RUS (Russian
language) may be submitted to HUD by
mail, in person, by facsimile, or via the
Internet to HUD’s Office of Fair Housing
and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). FHEO
staff uses the information provided on
the Form to verify HUD’s authority to
investigate the aggrieved person’s
allegations under the Act.
Notice of Submission of Proposed
Extension of Information Collection to
OMB
Title of Proposal: Housing
Discrimination Information Form.
Office: Fair Housing and Equal
Opportunity, HUD.
OMB Control Number: 2529–0011.
Description of the need for the
information and proposed use: HUD
uses the Housing Discrimination
Information Form HUD–903.1 (Form) to
collect pertinent information from
persons wishing to file housing
discrimination complaints with HUD
under the Fair Housing Act (Act). The
Act makes it unlawful to discriminate in
the sale, rental, occupancy, advertising,
or insuring of residential dwellings; or
to discriminate in residential real estaterelated transactions, based on race,
color, religion, sex, handicap
(disability), familial status, or national
origin.
Any person who claims to have been
injured by a discriminatory housing
practice, or any person who believes
that he or she will be injured by a
discriminatory housing practice that is
about to occur, may file a complaint
with HUD not later than one year after
the alleged discriminatory housing
practice occurs or terminates. The Form
promotes consistency in the collection
of information necessary to contact
persons who file housing discrimination
complaints with HUD. It also aids in the
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collection of information necessary for
initial assessments of HUD’s authority
to investigate alleged discriminatory
housing practices under the Act.
This information may subsequently be
provided to persons against whom
complaints are filed (‘‘respondents’’), as
required under section 810(a)(1)(B)(ii) of
the Act.
Agency form numbers, if applicable:
Form HUD–903.1 (English), Form HUD–
903.1A (Spanish), Form HUD–903–1B
(Chinese), Form HUD–903.1F
(Vietnamese), Form HUD–903.1K
(Korean), Form HUD–903.1AR (Arabic),
Form HUD–903.1CAM (Cambodian),
and Form HUD–903.1R (Russian).
Members of affected public:
Individuals or households; businesses
or other for-profit, not-for-profit
institutions; State, Local, or Tribal
Governments.
Estimation of the total number of
hours needed to prepare the information
collection, including the number of
respondents, frequency of response, and
hours of responses: During FY 2006,
HUD staff received approximately
18,824 information submissions from
persons wishing to file housing
discrimination complaints with HUD.
Telephone contacts accounted for 9,655
of this total. The remaining 9,169
complaint submissions were transmitted
to HUD by mail, in-person, and via the
Internet. HUD estimates that an
aggrieved person requires
approximately 45 minutes to complete
the HUD 903.1 Form. The Form is
completed once by each aggrieved
person. Therefore, the total number of
annual burden hours for this Form is
6,877 hours.
9,169 × 1 (frequency) × .45 minutes
(.75 hrs.) = 6,877 (6,876.75) hours.
Annualized cost burden to
complainants: HUD does not provide
postage-paid mailers for this
information collection. Accordingly,
persons who choose to submit this Form
to HUD by mail must pay the prevailing
cost of First Class Postage. As of the date
of this Notice, the annualized cost
burden per person, based on a one-time
submission of this Form to HUD via
First Class Postage, is Forty-One Cents
($0.41) per person. During FY 2006,
FHEO staff received approximately
6,897 submissions of potential
complaint information by mail. Based
on this number, HUD estimates that the
total annualized cost burden for
aggrieved persons who submit this Form
to HUD by mail is $2,815.47.
Aggrieved persons also may submit
the Form to HUD in person, by
facsimile, or electronically via the
Internet.
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Status of the proposed information
collection: Renewal of a currently
approved collection of pertinent
information from persons wishing to file
Fair Housing Act complaints with HUD.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 [44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended].
Dated: June 26, 2007.
Lynn Grosso,
Director, Office of Enforcement, FHEO.
[FR Doc. E7–12892 Filed 7–2–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WY–060–1320–EL, WYW164812,
WYW172388, WYW172685, WYW173408]
Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
and Notice of Public Meeting on Four
Federal Coal Lease Applications in the
Decertified Powder River Federal Coal
Production Region, WY
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent and notice of
public meeting.
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),
Casper Field Office announces its intent
to prepare one EIS on the potential
impacts of leasing four tracts of Federal
coal. The EIS will be called the Wright
Area Coal EIS. Under the provisions of
43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
3425.1, the BLM received the following
applications to lease maintenance tracts
(a maintenance tract is a parcel of land
containing Federal coal reserves that
can be leased to maintain production at
an existing mine) in Campbell County,
Wyoming:
• Ark Land Company applied for a
maintenance coal lease for
approximately 4,590.19 acres
(approximately 588.2 million tons of
coal) in a maintenance tract of Federal
coal adjacent to the Black Thunder
Mine. The tract, which is referred to as
the Hilight Field Tract, has been
assigned case number WYW164812.
• Ark Land Company applied for a
maintenance coal lease for
approximately 2,370.52 acres
(approximately 428 million tons of coal)
in a maintenance tract of Federal coal
adjacent to the Black Thunder Mine.
The tract, which is referred to as the
West Hilight Field Tract, has been
assigned case number WYW172388.
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 127 / Tuesday, July 3, 2007 / Notices
• Jacobs Ranch Coal Company
applied for a maintenance coal lease for
approximately 5,944.37 acres
(approximately 956 million tons of coal)
in a maintenance tract of Federal coal
adjacent to the Jacobs Ranch Mine. The
tract, which is referred to as the West
Jacobs Ranch Tract, has been assigned
case number WYW172685.
• BTU Western Resources, Inc.
applied for a maintenance coal lease for
approximately 5,116.65 acres
(approximately 598 million tons of coal)
in a maintenance tract of Federal coal
adjacent to the North Antelope Rochelle
Mine. The tract, which is referred to as
the Porcupine Tract, has been assigned
case number WYW173408.
Consistent with Federal regulations
under NEPA and the Mineral 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 recommended that BLM
process these four coal lease
applications after they reviewed the
Hilight Field, West Hilight Field, and
West Jacobs Ranch Tracts at a public
meeting held on April 19, 2006, in
Casper, Wyoming, and the Porcupine
Tract at a public meeting held on
January 18, 2007, in Casper, Wyoming.
DATES: This notice initiates the public
scoping process. To provide the public
with an opportunity to review the
proposal and gain understanding of the
coal leasing process, the BLM will host
a meeting on July 24, 2007, at 7 p.m. at
the Clarion Hotel and Convention
Center, 2009 South Douglas Highway, in
Gillette, Wyoming. At the meeting, the
public is invited to submit comments
and resource information, plus identify
issues or concerns to be considered in
the coal leasing process. The BLM can
best use public input if comments and
resource information are submitted by
August 31, 2007. 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:
Sarah Bucklin or Mike Karbs, BLM
Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector
Drive, Casper, Wyoming 82604. Ms.
Bucklin 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: Sarah
Bucklin, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper,
Wyoming 82604. Written comments or
resource information may also be hand-
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delivered to the BLM Casper Field
Office or sent by facsimile to the
attention of Sarah Bucklin at (307) 261–
7587. Comments may be sent
electronically to
casper_wymail@blm.gov. Please include
‘‘Wright Area Coal EIS/Sarah Bucklin’’
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.
Ark Land
Company submitted an application on
October 7, 2005, to lease a maintenance
tract of Federal coal adjacent to the
company’s Black Thunder Mine in
Campbell County, Wyoming, which is
operated by Thunder Basin Coal
Company. The tract is known as the
Hilight Field Tract. The Hilight Field
Tract includes approximately 588.2
million tons of Federal coal reserves
underlying the following lands in
Campbell County, Wyoming:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
T. 44 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 19: Lots 5 through 20;
T. 43 N., R.71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 23: Lots 1 through 16; Section 26:
Lots 1 through 16; Section 35: Lots 1
through 16;
T. 44 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 23: Lots 1 through 16; Section 24:
Lots 1 through 16; Section 26: Lots 1
through 16.
Containing 4,590.19 acres, more or less.
Ark Land Company proposes to mine
the tract as a part of the Black Thunder
Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 92.2
million tons per year, the coal included
in the Hilight Field Tract would extend
the life of the Black Thunder Mine by
as many as six years.
Ark Land Company submitted an
application on January 17, 2006, to lease
a maintenance tract of Federal coal
adjacent to the company’s Black
Thunder Mine in Campbell County,
Wyoming, which is operated by
Thunder Basin Coal Company. The tract
is known as the West Hilight Field
Tract.
The West Hilight Field Tract includes
approximately 428 million tons of
Federal coal underlying the following
lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 43 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming Section
8: Lots 1, 2, 7 through 16; Section 9: Lots
1 through 16; Section 10: Lots 3 through
6, 11 through 14; Section 17: Lots 1
through 16; Section 20: Lots 1 through 4
Section 21: Lots 3, 4.
Containing 2,370.52 acres, more or less.
Thunder Basin Coal Company
proposes to mine the tract as a part of
the Black Thunder Mine. At the 2006
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36477
mining rate of 92.2 million tons per
year, the coal included in the West
Hilight Field Tract would extend the life
of the Black Thunder Mine by as many
as four years.
Jacobs Ranch Coal Company
submitted an application on March 24,
2006, to lease a maintenance tract of
Federal coal adjacent to the company’s
Jacobs Ranch Mine in Campbell County,
Wyoming. The tract is known as the
West Jacobs Ranch Tract. The West
Jacobs Ranch Tract includes
approximately 956 million tons of
Federal coal underlying the following
lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 43 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 3: Lots 2, 5 through 19; Section 4:
Lots 5 through 20; Section 5: Lots 5
through 20;
T. 44 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 22: Lots 9 through 16; Section 27:
Lot 1 through 16; Section 28: Lots 1
through 3, 5 through 16; Section 29: Lots
5 through 15, SE1⁄4SE1⁄4; Section 32: Lots
1 through 15, SW1⁄4SE1⁄4; Section 33:
Lots 1 through 15, NE1⁄4SE1⁄4; Section 34:
Lots 1 through 16.
Containing 5,944.37 acres, more or less.
Jacobs Ranch Coal Company proposes
to mine the tract as a part of the Jacobs
Ranch Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of
39.9 million tons per year, the coal
included in the West Jacobs Ranch Tract
would extend the life of the Jacobs
Ranch Mine by as many as 23 years.
BTU Western Resources, Inc.
submitted an application on September
29, 2006, to lease a maintenance tract of
Federal coal adjacent to the company’s
North Antelope Rochelle Mine in
Campbell County, Wyoming, which is
operated by Powder River Coal, LLC.
The tract is known as the Porcupine
Tract.
The Porcupine Tract includes
approximately 598 million tons of
Federal coal underlying the following
lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 41 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 7: Lots 17, 18; Section 18: Lots 6
through 11, 14 through 19;
T. 42 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 19: Lots 17 through 20; Section 20:
Lots 13 through 16; Section 26: Lots 9
through 16; Section 27: Lots 9 through
16; Section 29: Lots 1 through 4; Section
30: Lots 5 through 8
T. 41 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 12: Lots 13 through 16; Section 13:
Lots 1 through 16; Section 14: Lots 1, 8,
9, 16; Section 23: Lots 1, 8(N1⁄2); Section
24: Lots 2 through 4, 5(N1⁄2), 6(N1⁄2),
7(N1⁄2);
T. 42 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 22: Lots 13 through 16; Section 23:
Lots 13 through 16; Section 24: Lots 13
through 16; Section 25: Lots 1 through 4;
Section 26: Lots 1 through 6, 11 through
14; Section 27: Lots 1 through 16;
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 127 / Tuesday, July 3, 2007 / Notices
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Section 35: Lots 3 through 6, 11 through
14.
Containing 5,116.65 acres, more or less.
BTU Western Resources, Inc.
proposes to mine the tract as a part of
the North Antelope Rochelle Mine. At
the 2006 mining rate of 89.7 million
tons per year, the coal included in the
Porcupine Tract would extend the life of
the North Antelope Rochelle by as many
as six years.
Lands in the Hilight Field, West
Hilight Field, and Porcupine Tracts
contain Federal surface administered by
the Forest Service and private surface
estate which overlies the Federal coal.
Lands in the West Jacobs Ranch Tract
contain private surface estate which
overlies the Federal coal.
The Black Thunder Mine, Jacobs
Ranch Mine, and North Antelope
Rochelle Mine are operating under
approved mining permits from the Land
Quality and Air Quality Divisions of the
Wyoming Department of Environmental
Quality. The USDA Forest Service and
the Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM)
will be cooperating agencies in the
preparation of the EIS. Before the tracts
can be leased, the Forest Service must
consent to leasing the portions of the
tracts that are part of the Thunder Basin
National Grassland. If the four tracts are
leased to the applicants, the new leases
must be incorporated into the existing
mining and reclamation plans for the
adjacent mines. Before the Federal coal
in each tract can be mined, the Secretary
of the Interior must approve the revised
Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) mining plan
for the mine in which each tract will be
included. 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 the Wright Area Coal EIS.
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
Greater sage-grouse; potential impacts to
listed threatened and endangered
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17:57 Jul 02, 2007
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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.
Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Reno, Nevada, 89502–7147. Submit
written comments pertaining to the
Advisory Board meeting no later than
close of business, July 25, 2007. See the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for
electronic access and filing address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ramona DeLorme, Wild Horse and
Burro Administrative Assistant, at 775–
861–6583. Individuals who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may reach Ms. DeLorme at any
time by calling the Federal Information
Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Alan Rabinoff,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. E7–12889 Filed 7–2–07; 8:45 am]
Monday, July 30, 2007 (8 a.m.–5 p.m.)
8 a.m. Call to Order & Introductions.
8:15 a.m. Old Business:
Approval of February 2006 Minutes.
Update Pending Litigation.
8:45 a.m. Program Updates:
Gathers.
Adoptions.
Facilities.
Forest Service Update.
Break (9:30 a.m.–9:45 a.m.)
9:45 a.m. Program Updates (continued):
Program Accomplishments.
BLM Response to Advisory Board
Recommendations.
Lunch (11:45 a.m.–1 p.m.)
1 p.m. New Business.
Break (2:45 p.m.–3 p.m.)
3 p.m. Public Comments.
4 p.m. Board Recommendations.
4:45 p.m. Recap/Summary/Next Meeting/
Date/Site.
5 p.m. Adjourn.
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO–260–09–1060–00–24 1A]
Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board;
Meeting
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Announcement of meeting.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) announces that the
Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board
will conduct a meeting on matters
pertaining to management and
protection of wild, free-roaming horses
and burros on the Nation’s public lands.
DATES: The Advisory Board will meet
Monday, July 30, 2007, from 8 a.m. to
5 p.m., local time. This will be a one
day meeting.
ADDRESSES: The Advisory Board will
meet at The Grove Hotel, 245 South
Capitol Blvd., Boise, Idaho, 83702. The
Grove’s phone number is 208–333–
8000.
Written comments pertaining to the
Advisory Board meeting should be sent
to: Bureau of Land Management,
National Wild Horse and Burro
Program, WO–260, Attention: Ramona
DeLorme, 1340 Financial Boulevard,
PO 00000
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I. Public Meeting
Under the authority of 43 CFR part
1784, the Wild Horse and Burro
Advisory Board advises the Secretary of
the Interior, the Director of the BLM, the
Secretary of Agriculture, and the Chief
of the Forest Service, on matters
pertaining to management and
protection of wild, free-roaming horses
and burros on the Nation’s public lands.
The tentative agenda for the meeting is:
The meeting site is accessible to
individuals with disabilities. An
individual with a disability needing an
auxiliary aid or service to participate in
the meeting, such as an interpreting
service, assistive listening device, or
materials in an alternate format, must
notify the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT two
weeks before the scheduled meeting
date. Although the BLM will attempt to
meet a request received after that date,
the requested auxiliary aid or service
may not be available because of
insufficient time to arrange it.
The Federal Advisory Committee
Management Regulations [41 CFR 101–
6.1015(b),] require BLM to publish in
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 3, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36476-36478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12889]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WY-060-1320-EL, WYW164812, WYW172388, WYW172685, WYW173408]
Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) and Notice of Public Meeting on Four Federal Coal Lease
Applications in the Decertified Powder River Federal Coal Production
Region, WY
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent and notice of public meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM), Casper Field Office announces its intent to prepare one EIS on
the potential impacts of leasing four tracts of Federal coal. The EIS
will be called the Wright Area Coal EIS. Under the provisions of 43
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3425.1, the BLM received the
following applications to lease maintenance tracts (a maintenance tract
is a parcel of land containing Federal coal reserves that can be leased
to maintain production at an existing mine) in Campbell County,
Wyoming:
Ark Land Company applied for a maintenance coal lease for
approximately 4,590.19 acres (approximately 588.2 million tons of coal)
in a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the Black Thunder
Mine. The tract, which is referred to as the Hilight Field Tract, has
been assigned case number WYW164812.
Ark Land Company applied for a maintenance coal lease for
approximately 2,370.52 acres (approximately 428 million tons of coal)
in a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the Black Thunder
Mine. The tract, which is referred to as the West Hilight Field Tract,
has been assigned case number WYW172388.
[[Page 36477]]
Jacobs Ranch Coal Company applied for a maintenance coal
lease for approximately 5,944.37 acres (approximately 956 million tons
of coal) in a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the Jacobs
Ranch Mine. The tract, which is referred to as the West Jacobs Ranch
Tract, has been assigned case number WYW172685.
BTU Western Resources, Inc. applied for a maintenance coal
lease for approximately 5,116.65 acres (approximately 598 million tons
of coal) in a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the North
Antelope Rochelle Mine. The tract, which is referred to as the
Porcupine Tract, has been assigned case number WYW173408.
Consistent with Federal regulations under NEPA and the Mineral
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 recommended that BLM process these four
coal lease applications after they reviewed the Hilight Field, West
Hilight Field, and West Jacobs Ranch Tracts at a public meeting held on
April 19, 2006, in Casper, Wyoming, and the Porcupine Tract at a public
meeting held on January 18, 2007, in Casper, Wyoming.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. To provide the
public with an opportunity to review the proposal and gain
understanding of the coal leasing process, the BLM will host a meeting
on July 24, 2007, at 7 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center,
2009 South Douglas Highway, in Gillette, Wyoming. At the meeting, the
public is invited to submit comments and resource information, plus
identify issues or concerns to be considered in the coal leasing
process. The BLM can best use public input if comments and resource
information are submitted by August 31, 2007. 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: Sarah Bucklin or Mike Karbs, BLM
Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, Wyoming 82604. Ms.
Bucklin 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: Sarah Bucklin, 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 Sarah Bucklin at (307) 261-7587. Comments may be sent
electronically to casper_wymail@blm.gov. Please include ``Wright Area
Coal EIS/Sarah Bucklin'' 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: Ark Land Company submitted an application on
October 7, 2005, to lease a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent
to the company's Black Thunder Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming, which
is operated by Thunder Basin Coal Company. The tract is known as the
Hilight Field Tract. The Hilight Field Tract includes approximately
588.2 million tons of Federal coal reserves underlying the following
lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 44 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 19: Lots 5 through 20;
T. 43 N., R.71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 23: Lots 1 through 16; Section 26: Lots 1 through 16;
Section 35: Lots 1 through 16;
T. 44 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 23: Lots 1 through 16; Section 24: Lots 1 through 16;
Section 26: Lots 1 through 16.
Containing 4,590.19 acres, more or less.
Ark Land Company proposes to mine the tract as a part of the Black
Thunder Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 92.2 million tons per year,
the coal included in the Hilight Field Tract would extend the life of
the Black Thunder Mine by as many as six years.
Ark Land Company submitted an application on January 17, 2006, to
lease a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the company's
Black Thunder Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming, which is operated by
Thunder Basin Coal Company. The tract is known as the West Hilight
Field Tract.
The West Hilight Field Tract includes approximately 428 million
tons of Federal coal underlying the following lands in Campbell County,
Wyoming:
T. 43 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming Section 8: Lots 1, 2, 7 through
16; Section 9: Lots 1 through 16; Section 10: Lots 3 through 6, 11
through 14; Section 17: Lots 1 through 16; Section 20: Lots 1
through 4 Section 21: Lots 3, 4.
Containing 2,370.52 acres, more or less.
Thunder Basin Coal Company proposes to mine the tract as a part of
the Black Thunder Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 92.2 million tons
per year, the coal included in the West Hilight Field Tract would
extend the life of the Black Thunder Mine by as many as four years.
Jacobs Ranch Coal Company submitted an application on March 24,
2006, to lease a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the
company's Jacobs Ranch Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming. The tract is
known as the West Jacobs Ranch Tract. The West Jacobs Ranch Tract
includes approximately 956 million tons of Federal coal underlying the
following lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 43 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 3: Lots 2, 5 through 19; Section 4: Lots 5 through 20;
Section 5: Lots 5 through 20;
T. 44 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 22: Lots 9 through 16; Section 27: Lot 1 through 16;
Section 28: Lots 1 through 3, 5 through 16; Section 29: Lots 5
through 15, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\; Section 32: Lots 1 through 15, SW\1/
4\SE\1/4\; Section 33: Lots 1 through 15, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\; Section
34: Lots 1 through 16.
Containing 5,944.37 acres, more or less.
Jacobs Ranch Coal Company proposes to mine the tract as a part of
the Jacobs Ranch Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 39.9 million tons per
year, the coal included in the West Jacobs Ranch Tract would extend the
life of the Jacobs Ranch Mine by as many as 23 years.
BTU Western Resources, Inc. submitted an application on September
29, 2006, to lease a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the
company's North Antelope Rochelle Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming,
which is operated by Powder River Coal, LLC. The tract is known as the
Porcupine Tract.
The Porcupine Tract includes approximately 598 million tons of
Federal coal underlying the following lands in Campbell County,
Wyoming:
T. 41 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 7: Lots 17, 18; Section 18: Lots 6 through 11, 14
through 19;
T. 42 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 19: Lots 17 through 20; Section 20: Lots 13 through 16;
Section 26: Lots 9 through 16; Section 27: Lots 9 through 16;
Section 29: Lots 1 through 4; Section 30: Lots 5 through 8
T. 41 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 12: Lots 13 through 16; Section 13: Lots 1 through 16;
Section 14: Lots 1, 8, 9, 16; Section 23: Lots 1, 8(N\1/2\); Section
24: Lots 2 through 4, 5(N\1/2\), 6(N\1/2\), 7(N\1/2\);
T. 42 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 22: Lots 13 through 16; Section 23: Lots 13 through 16;
Section 24: Lots 13 through 16; Section 25: Lots 1 through 4;
Section 26: Lots 1 through 6, 11 through 14; Section 27: Lots 1
through 16;
[[Page 36478]]
Section 35: Lots 3 through 6, 11 through 14.
Containing 5,116.65 acres, more or less.
BTU Western Resources, Inc. proposes to mine the tract as a part of
the North Antelope Rochelle Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 89.7
million tons per year, the coal included in the Porcupine Tract would
extend the life of the North Antelope Rochelle by as many as six years.
Lands in the Hilight Field, West Hilight Field, and Porcupine
Tracts contain Federal surface administered by the Forest Service and
private surface estate which overlies the Federal coal. Lands in the
West Jacobs Ranch Tract contain private surface estate which overlies
the Federal coal.
The Black Thunder Mine, Jacobs Ranch Mine, and North Antelope
Rochelle Mine are operating under approved mining permits from the Land
Quality and Air Quality Divisions of the Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality. The USDA Forest Service and the Office of
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) will be cooperating
agencies in the preparation of the EIS. Before the tracts can be
leased, the Forest Service must consent to leasing the portions of the
tracts that are part of the Thunder Basin National Grassland. If the
four tracts are leased to the applicants, the new leases must be
incorporated into the existing mining and reclamation plans for the
adjacent mines. Before the Federal coal in each tract can be mined, the
Secretary of the Interior must approve the revised Mineral Leasing Act
(MLA) mining plan for the mine in which each tract will be included.
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 the Wright Area
Coal EIS. 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 Greater 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.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Alan Rabinoff,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. E7-12889 Filed 7-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
