Notice of Availability for the South Gillette Area Coal Final Environmental Impact Statement That Includes Four Federal Coal Lease by Applications, Wyoming, 42092-42094 [E9-20026]
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42092
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / Notices
burden, we invite the general public and
other Federal agencies to take this
opportunity to comment on this IC. This
IC is scheduled to expire on January 31,
2010. We may not conduct or sponsor
and a person is not required to respond
to a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
DATES: To ensure that we are able to
consider your comments on this IC, we
must receive them by October 19, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the
IC to Hope Grey, Information Collection
Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife
Service, MS 222–ARLSQ, 4401 North
Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203
(mail); or hope_grey@fws.gov (e-mail).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To
request additional information about
this IC, contact Hope Grey by mail or email (see ADDRESSES) or by telephone at
(703) 358–2482.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
I. Abstract
The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife
Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669-669k)
and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish
Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777-777n
except 777e-1) provide authority for
Federal assistance to the States for
management and restoration of fish and
wildlife. These Acts and our regulations
at 50 CFR 80.10 require that States,
territories, and the District of Columbia
annually certify their hunting and
fishing license sales. States, territories,
and the District of Columbia that receive
grants under these Acts use FWS Forms
3-154a (Part I - Certification) and 3-154b
(Part II - Summary of Hunting and Sport
Fishing Licenses Issued) to certify the
number and amount of hunting and
fishing license sales. We use the
information collected to apportion and
distribute funds according to the
formula specified in each Act.
II. Data
OMB Control Number: 1018-0007.
Title: Annual Certification of Hunting
and Sport Fishing Licenses Issued, 50
CFR 80.10.
Service Form Number(s): 3-154a, 3154b.
Type of Request: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: States, territories
(Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, Guam, Virgin Islands, and
American Samoa), and District of
Columbia.
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Annually.
Estimated Annual Number of
Respondents: 56.
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16:07 Aug 19, 2009
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Estimated Total Annual Responses:
112.
Estimated Time Per Response:
Average of 12 hours for FWS Form 3154a and 20 hours for FWS Form 3154b.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 1,792.
III. Request for Comments
We invite comments concerning this
IC on:
(1) Whether or not the collection of
information is necessary, including
whether or not the information will
have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the
burden for this collection of
information;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
(4) Ways to minimize the burden of
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Comments that you submit in
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public record. We will include or
summarize each comment in our request
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including your address, phone number,
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identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment, including your
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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.
Dated: August 13, 2009.
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer,
Fish and Wildlife Service.
FR Doc. E9–19921 Filed 8–19–09; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 4310–55–S
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWYP00000–L13200000–EL0000,
LLWYP00000–L51100000–GA0000–
LVEMK09CK330, LLWYP00000–L51100000–
GA0000–LVEMK09CK360, LLWYP00000–
L51100000–GA0000–LVEMK09CK350;
WYW161248, WYW172585, WYW172657,
WYW173360]
Notice of Availability for the South
Gillette Area Coal Final Environmental
Impact Statement That Includes Four
Federal Coal Lease by Applications,
Wyoming
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
PO 00000
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ACTION:
Notice of availability.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA) and the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976
(FLPMA), the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) has prepared a
Final Environmental Impact Statement
(FEIS) for the South Gillette Area Coal
project that contains four Federal Coal
Lease By Applications (LBAs), and by
this Notice announces the availability of
the South Gillette Area final EIS for
review.
DATES: To ensure comments will be
considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the South Gillette
Area Coal FEIS by September 16, 2009,
which is 30 days after August 17, 2009,
the date the Environmental Protection
Agency published the Notice of
Availability in the Federal Register [74
FR 41430].
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods:
• E-mail: casper_wymail@blm.gov.
• Fax: 307–261–7587.
• Mail: Wyoming High Plains District
Office, Bureau of Land Management,
Attn: Teresa Johnson, 2987 Prospector
Drive, Casper, Wyoming 82604.
Copies of the FEIS are available at the
following BLM office locations: BLM
Wyoming State Office, 5353
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming
82009; and BLM Wyoming High Plains
District Office, 2987 Prospector Drive,
Casper, Wyoming 82604. The FEIS is
available electronically on the following
Web site: https://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/
info/NEPA/cfodocs/south_gillette.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Teresa Johnson or Mike Karbs at the
above address, or telephone: 307–261–
7600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS
analyzes the potential impacts for
Federal Coal LBAs serialized as
WYW161248, WYW172585,
WYW172657, and WYW173360 and
referred to as the Belle Ayr North, West
Coal Creek, Caballo West, and Maysdorf
II tracts, in the decertified Powder River
Federal Coal Production Region,
Wyoming. The BLM is considering
issuing these four coal leases as a result
of four applications filed between July
of 2004 and September of 2006 in
accordance with 43 CFR part 3425.
Belle Ayr North Coal Tract
The BLM is considering issuing a coal
lease as a result of a July 6, 2004,
application made by RAG Wyoming
Land Company (RAG) to lease the
Federal coal in the Belle Ayr North coal
tract (WYW161248). RAG subsequently
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / Notices
sold the Belle Ayr Mine and its
associated interests to Foundation Coal
Holdings, Inc. (Foundation). From this
point forward, the applicant for the
Belle Ayr North Tract will be referred to
as Foundation. The Belle Ayr North
LBA is located in Campbell County,
Wyoming, east of Hwy 59 and south of
the Bishop Road/Hwy 59 intersection.
Foundation applied for the tract to
extend the life of the existing Belle Ayr
Mine. The applicant estimated that the
tract includes approximately 208.1
million tons of minable Federal coal
underlying the following lands in
Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 48 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 18: Lots 17, 18, 19 (W1⁄2, SE1⁄4);
Section 19: Lots 5 through 19;
Section 20: Lots 3 (SW1⁄4), 4 (W1⁄2, SE1⁄4),
5, 6, 7 (S1⁄2), 9 (S1⁄2), 10 through 16;
Section 21: Lots 13, 14;
Section 28: Lots 3 through 6;
Section 29: Lots 1, 6;
T. 48 N., R. 72 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 24: Lots 1, 8.
Containing 1,578.74 acres, more or less.
The Belle Ayr Mine is adjacent to the
LBA and has an approved mining and
reclamation plan from the Land Quality
Division of the Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality (DEQ) and an
approved air quality permit from the Air
Quality Division of the Wyoming DEQ
that allows them to mine up to 45
million tons of coal per year.
Caballo West Coal Tract
The BLM is considering issuing a coal
lease as a result of a March 15, 2006,
application made by Caballo Coal
Company (Caballo) to lease the Federal
coal in the Caballo West coal tract
(WYW172657). The Caballo West LBA
is located in Campbell County,
Wyoming, east of the Hwy 59/Bishop
Road intersection.
Caballo applied for the tract to extend
the life of the existing Caballo Mine.
The applicant estimated that the tract
includes approximately 87.5 million
tons of mineable Federal coal
underlying the following lands in
Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 48 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 7: Lots 12, 19;
Section 8: Lot 10;
Section 17: Lots 1 through 10, 11 (N1⁄2,
SE1⁄4), 12 (NE1⁄4), 15 (N1⁄2, SE1⁄4), 16;
Section 18: Lot 5, 12 (NE1⁄4);
Section 20: Lots 1, 2 (NE1⁄4), 8 (N1⁄2, SE1⁄4).
Containing 777.485 acres, more or less.
The Caballo Mine is adjacent to the
LBA and has an approved mining and
reclamation plan from the Land Quality
Division of the Wyoming DEQ and an
approved air quality permit from the Air
Quality Division of the Wyoming DEQ
that allows them to mine up to 50
million tons of coal per year.
Maysdorf II Coal Tract
T. 46 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 18: Lots 14 through 17;
Section 19: Lots 7 through 10, 15 through
18;
Section 30: Lots 5 through 20.
Containing 1,151.26 acres, more or less.
The BLM is considering issuing a coal
lease as a result of a September 1, 2006,
application made by Cordero Mining
Company (Cordero) to lease the Federal
coal in the Maysdorf II coal tract
(WYW173360). The Maysdorf II LBA is
located in Campbell County, Wyoming,
on the east side of Hwy 59 starting
approximately 5 miles south of the
Bishop Road Hwy 59 intersection. The
Maysdorf II LBA has two separate units.
The larger of the two units is against the
west edge of the Cordero-Rojo Mine.
The other unit is to the south of the
Cordero-Rojo mine and to the west of
the Coal Creek Mine by approximately
1 mile.
Cordero applied for the tract to extend
the life of the existing Cordero-Rojo
Mine. The applicant estimated that the
tract includes approximately 499.7
million tons of minable Federal coal
underlying the following lands in
Campbell County, Wyoming:
The Coal Creek Mine is adjacent to
the LBA and has an approved mining
and reclamation plan from the Land
Quality Division of the Wyoming DEQ
and an approved air quality permit from
the Air Quality Division of the
Wyoming DEQ that allows them to mine
up to 25 million tons of coal per year.
T. 46 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 4: Lots 8, 9, 16, 17;
Section 5: Lots 5, 12, 13, 20;
Section 9: Lots 6 through 8;
Section 10: Lots 7 through 10;
Section 11: Lots 13 through 16;
Section 14: Lots 1 through 4;
Section 15: Lots 1 through 4;
T. 47 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
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West Coal Creek Coal Tract
The BLM is considering issuing a coal
lease as a result of a February 10, 2006,
application made by Ark Land Company
(Ark) to lease the Federal coal in the
West Coal Creek coal tract
(WYW172585). The West Coal Creek
LBA is located in Campbell County east
of Hoadley Road approximately 12
miles northeast of the city of Wright,
Wyoming.
Ark applied for the tract to extend the
life of the existing Coal Creek Mine. The
applicant estimated that the tract
includes approximately 63.3 million
tons of minable Federal coal underlying
the following lands in Campbell County,
Wyoming:
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42093
Section 7: Lots 6 through 11, 14 through
19;
Section 17: Lots 1 through 15, SW1⁄4NW1⁄4;
Section 18: Lots 5 through 14, 19, 20;
Section 20: Lots 1, 8, 9, 16;
Section 21: Lots 4, 5, 12, 13;
Section 28: Lots 4, 5, 12, 13;
Section 29: Lots 1, 8, 9, 16;
Section 32: Lots 1, 8, 9, 16;
Section 33: Lots 4, 5, 12, 13;
T. 47 N., R. 72 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 12: Lots 1 through 16;
Section 13: Lots 1 through 8.
Containing 4,653.80 acres, more or less.
The Cordero-Rojo Mine is adjacent to
the LBA and has an approved mining
and reclamation plan from the Land
Quality Division of the Wyoming DEQ
and an approved air quality permit from
the Air Quality Division of the
Wyoming DEQ that allows them to mine
up to 65 million tons of coal per year.
The FEIS analyzes and discloses to
the public direct, indirect, and
cumulative environmental impacts of
issuing four Federal coal leases in the
Wyoming portion of the Powder River
Basin. A copy of the FEIS has been sent
to affected Federal, State, and local
government agencies; persons and
entities identified as potentially being
affected by a decision to lease the
Federal coal in each of the tracts; and
persons who indicated to the BLM that
they wished to receive a copy of the
FEIS.
The Wyoming DEQ, the Office of
Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement, and the Wyoming
Department of Transportation are
cooperating agencies in the preparation
of the FEIS.
On March 29, 2007, the BLM
published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an EIS for the South Gillette
Area coal lease applications in the
Federal Register. A notice announcing
the availability of the Draft EIS was
published in the Federal Register by the
EPA on October 24, 2008. A 60-day
comment period on the Draft EIS
commenced with publication of the
EPA’s notice of availability and ended
on December 24, 2008. The BLM
published a Notice of Availability and
Notice of Public Hearing in the Federal
Register on October 17, 2008. The
BLM’s Federal Register notice
announced the date and time of a public
hearing, which was held on November
19, 2008, in Gillette, Wyoming. The
purpose of the hearing was to solicit
comments on the DEIS, on the fair
market value, and on the maximum
economic recovery of the Federal coal.
During the DEIS comment period, the
BLM received 18 written comments,
which are included, with agency
responses, in an appendix to the FEIS.
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42094
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / Notices
The FEIS analyzes leasing all of the
South Gillette Area coal tracts as a
separate Proposed Action. Under the
Proposed Action, a competitive sale
would be held and a lease issued for
Federal coal contained in the tracts as
applied for by each of the applicants. As
part of the coal leasing process, the BLM
is evaluating adding or subtracting
Federal coal to the tracts to avoid
bypassing coal or to prompt competitive
interest in unleased Federal coal in this
area. The alternate tract configurations
for each of the LBAs that BLM is
evaluating are described and analyzed
as separate alternatives in the FEIS.
Under these alternatives, competitive
sales would be held and leases issued
for Federal coal lands included in tracts
modified by the BLM. The FEIS also
analyzes the alternative of rejecting the
application(s) to lease Federal coal as
the No Action Alternative. The
Proposed Actions and alternatives for
each of the LBAs being considered in
the FEIS are in conformance with the
Approved Resource Management Plan
for Public Lands Administered by the
Bureau of Land Management Buffalo
Field Office (2001). A Record of
Decision (ROD) will be prepared after
the close of the 30-day review period for
the FEIS. Comments received on the
FEIS will be considered during
preparation of the ROD.
Requests to be included on the
mailing list for this project and to
request copies of the FEIS may be sent
in writing, by facsimile, or
electronically to the addresses
previously stated at the beginning of
this notice. The BLM asks that those
submitting comments on the FEIS make
them as specific as possible with
reference to page numbers and chapters
of the document. Comments that
contain only opinions or preferences
will not receive a formal response;
however, they will be considered as part
of the BLM decision-making process.
Please note that comments and
information submitted including names,
street addresses, and e-mail addresses of
respondents will be available for public
review and disclosure at the above
address during regular business hours
(7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday
through Friday, except holidays.
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
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:07 Aug 19, 2009
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cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Donald A. Simpson,
State Director.
[FR Doc. E9–20026 Filed 8–19–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion:
Museum of Anthropology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice is here given in accordance
with the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act
(NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the
completion of an inventory of human
remains in the possession of the
Museum of Anthropology, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. The human
remains were removed from the
Wequetonsing area near Harbor Springs,
Emmet County, MI.
This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service’s administrative
responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25
U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). The determinations
in this notice are the sole responsibility
of the museum, institution, or Federal
agency that has control of the Native
American human remains. The National
Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
A detailed assessment of the human
remains was made by Museum of
Anthropology professional staff in
consultation with representatives of the
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa
Indians, Michigan.
In 1924, a collection containing
human remains and a variety of
archeological materials collected from
around Michigan and North America
was purchased by the University of
Michigan from Rev. L.P. Rowland of
Detroit, MI. The human remains and
many of the artifacts were recovered
from the Lake Michigan shore area in
Emmet County, MI. A substantial
portion of this collection, including one
set of human remains (Accession #206)
and cultural items were determined to
be culturally affiliated with the Little
Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians,
Michigan. The individual and cultural
items were described in a Notice
published in the Federal Register (62
FR 8265–8266, February 24, 1997), and
were subsequently repatriated later that
same year. At that time it was
determined that two comingled sets of
human remains that were part of the
PO 00000
Frm 00048
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
same accession were not Native
American. The human remains are of an
adult and a second, younger adult
individual. Since that time, based on
skeletal and dental morphology, the
older individual has been identified as
being of mixed European and Native
American ancestry. There is insufficient
evidence to positively determine the
biological affiliation of the younger
individual, but they may also be of
mixed European and Native American
ancestry. No known individuals were
identified. No associated funerary
objects are present.
Accession and other collections
information suggests that the human
remains were recovered from the
Wequetonsing area near Harbor Springs,
MI. Rev. Rowland’s catalog indicates
that glass beads were found with the
human remains. Based on the
observation of glass trade beads, the
human remains most likely date to the
post-contact era in northern Michigan
(circa A.D. 1600–1800).
Based on historical documents and
consultation with the Little Traverse
Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan,
the Odawa occupied the Wequetonsing
area throughout much of the historic
era. The Wequetonsing area is within
the area granted to the Odawa for
settlement in treaties signed in 1836 and
1855, and is within the current
reservation boundary of the Little
Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians,
Michigan. While historic sources also
mention the presence of Potawatomi,
Mascouten, and Ojibwa in the general
area, the Odawa are the predominant
group associated with the Wequetonsing
and Harbor Springs locality.
While the biological ancestry of the
two individuals may be mixed, based on
the burial treatment of the individual,
appearance of grave features as
described by Rev. Rowland, and
consultation with tribal representatives,
officials of the Museum of Anthropology
reasonably believe the human remains
have a Native American cultural
identity. Based on the observation of
glass beads, the interments likely date to
the historic era. Given the location of
the interments, they are most likely
culturally affiliated with the Little
Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians,
Michigan.
Officials of the Museum of
Anthropology, University of Michigan
have determined that, pursuant to 25
U.S.C. 3001 (9–10), the human remains
described above represent the physical
remains of two individuals of Native
American ancestry. Officials of the
Museum of Anthropology, University of
Michigan also have determined that,
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
20AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 160 (Thursday, August 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42092-42094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20026]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLWYP00000-L13200000-EL0000, LLWYP00000-L51100000-GA0000-LVEMK09CK330,
LLWYP00000-L51100000-GA0000-LVEMK09CK360, LLWYP00000-L51100000-GA0000-
LVEMK09CK350; WYW161248, WYW172585, WYW172657, WYW173360]
Notice of Availability for the South Gillette Area Coal Final
Environmental Impact Statement That Includes Four Federal Coal Lease by
Applications, Wyoming
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976
(FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the South Gillette Area Coal
project that contains four Federal Coal Lease By Applications (LBAs),
and by this Notice announces the availability of the South Gillette
Area final EIS for review.
DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive
written comments on the South Gillette Area Coal FEIS by September 16,
2009, which is 30 days after August 17, 2009, the date the
Environmental Protection Agency published the Notice of Availability in
the Federal Register [74 FR 41430].
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
E-mail: casper_wymail@blm.gov.
Fax: 307-261-7587.
Mail: Wyoming High Plains District Office, Bureau of Land
Management, Attn: Teresa Johnson, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper,
Wyoming 82604.
Copies of the FEIS are available at the following BLM office
locations: BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne,
Wyoming 82009; and BLM Wyoming High Plains District Office, 2987
Prospector Drive, Casper, Wyoming 82604. The FEIS is available
electronically on the following Web site: https://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/cfodocs/south_gillette.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Teresa Johnson or Mike Karbs at the
above address, or telephone: 307-261-7600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS analyzes the potential impacts for
Federal Coal LBAs serialized as WYW161248, WYW172585, WYW172657, and
WYW173360 and referred to as the Belle Ayr North, West Coal Creek,
Caballo West, and Maysdorf II tracts, in the decertified Powder River
Federal Coal Production Region, Wyoming. The BLM is considering issuing
these four coal leases as a result of four applications filed between
July of 2004 and September of 2006 in accordance with 43 CFR part 3425.
Belle Ayr North Coal Tract
The BLM is considering issuing a coal lease as a result of a July
6, 2004, application made by RAG Wyoming Land Company (RAG) to lease
the Federal coal in the Belle Ayr North coal tract (WYW161248). RAG
subsequently
[[Page 42093]]
sold the Belle Ayr Mine and its associated interests to Foundation Coal
Holdings, Inc. (Foundation). From this point forward, the applicant for
the Belle Ayr North Tract will be referred to as Foundation. The Belle
Ayr North LBA is located in Campbell County, Wyoming, east of Hwy 59
and south of the Bishop Road/Hwy 59 intersection.
Foundation applied for the tract to extend the life of the existing
Belle Ayr Mine. The applicant estimated that the tract includes
approximately 208.1 million tons of minable Federal coal underlying the
following lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 48 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 18: Lots 17, 18, 19 (W\1/2\, SE\1/4\);
Section 19: Lots 5 through 19;
Section 20: Lots 3 (SW\1/4\), 4 (W\1/2\, SE\1/4\), 5, 6, 7 (S\1/
2\), 9 (S\1/2\), 10 through 16;
Section 21: Lots 13, 14;
Section 28: Lots 3 through 6;
Section 29: Lots 1, 6;
T. 48 N., R. 72 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 24: Lots 1, 8.
Containing 1,578.74 acres, more or less.
The Belle Ayr Mine is adjacent to the LBA and has an approved
mining and reclamation plan from the Land Quality Division of the
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and an approved air
quality permit from the Air Quality Division of the Wyoming DEQ that
allows them to mine up to 45 million tons of coal per year.
West Coal Creek Coal Tract
The BLM is considering issuing a coal lease as a result of a
February 10, 2006, application made by Ark Land Company (Ark) to lease
the Federal coal in the West Coal Creek coal tract (WYW172585). The
West Coal Creek LBA is located in Campbell County east of Hoadley Road
approximately 12 miles northeast of the city of Wright, Wyoming.
Ark applied for the tract to extend the life of the existing Coal
Creek Mine. The applicant estimated that the tract includes
approximately 63.3 million tons of minable Federal coal underlying the
following lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 46 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 18: Lots 14 through 17;
Section 19: Lots 7 through 10, 15 through 18;
Section 30: Lots 5 through 20.
Containing 1,151.26 acres, more or less.
The Coal Creek Mine is adjacent to the LBA and has an approved
mining and reclamation plan from the Land Quality Division of the
Wyoming DEQ and an approved air quality permit from the Air Quality
Division of the Wyoming DEQ that allows them to mine up to 25 million
tons of coal per year.
Caballo West Coal Tract
The BLM is considering issuing a coal lease as a result of a March
15, 2006, application made by Caballo Coal Company (Caballo) to lease
the Federal coal in the Caballo West coal tract (WYW172657). The
Caballo West LBA is located in Campbell County, Wyoming, east of the
Hwy 59/Bishop Road intersection.
Caballo applied for the tract to extend the life of the existing
Caballo Mine. The applicant estimated that the tract includes
approximately 87.5 million tons of mineable Federal coal underlying the
following lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 48 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 7: Lots 12, 19;
Section 8: Lot 10;
Section 17: Lots 1 through 10, 11 (N\1/2\, SE\1/4\), 12 (NE\1/
4\), 15 (N\1/2\, SE\1/4\), 16;
Section 18: Lot 5, 12 (NE\1/4\);
Section 20: Lots 1, 2 (NE\1/4\), 8 (N\1/2\, SE\1/4\).
Containing 777.485 acres, more or less.
The Caballo Mine is adjacent to the LBA and has an approved mining
and reclamation plan from the Land Quality Division of the Wyoming DEQ
and an approved air quality permit from the Air Quality Division of the
Wyoming DEQ that allows them to mine up to 50 million tons of coal per
year.
Maysdorf II Coal Tract
The BLM is considering issuing a coal lease as a result of a
September 1, 2006, application made by Cordero Mining Company (Cordero)
to lease the Federal coal in the Maysdorf II coal tract (WYW173360).
The Maysdorf II LBA is located in Campbell County, Wyoming, on the east
side of Hwy 59 starting approximately 5 miles south of the Bishop Road
Hwy 59 intersection. The Maysdorf II LBA has two separate units. The
larger of the two units is against the west edge of the Cordero-Rojo
Mine. The other unit is to the south of the Cordero-Rojo mine and to
the west of the Coal Creek Mine by approximately 1 mile.
Cordero applied for the tract to extend the life of the existing
Cordero-Rojo Mine. The applicant estimated that the tract includes
approximately 499.7 million tons of minable Federal coal underlying the
following lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:
T. 46 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 4: Lots 8, 9, 16, 17;
Section 5: Lots 5, 12, 13, 20;
Section 9: Lots 6 through 8;
Section 10: Lots 7 through 10;
Section 11: Lots 13 through 16;
Section 14: Lots 1 through 4;
Section 15: Lots 1 through 4;
T. 47 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 7: Lots 6 through 11, 14 through 19;
Section 17: Lots 1 through 15, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\;
Section 18: Lots 5 through 14, 19, 20;
Section 20: Lots 1, 8, 9, 16;
Section 21: Lots 4, 5, 12, 13;
Section 28: Lots 4, 5, 12, 13;
Section 29: Lots 1, 8, 9, 16;
Section 32: Lots 1, 8, 9, 16;
Section 33: Lots 4, 5, 12, 13;
T. 47 N., R. 72 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 12: Lots 1 through 16;
Section 13: Lots 1 through 8.
Containing 4,653.80 acres, more or less.
The Cordero-Rojo Mine is adjacent to the LBA and has an approved
mining and reclamation plan from the Land Quality Division of the
Wyoming DEQ and an approved air quality permit from the Air Quality
Division of the Wyoming DEQ that allows them to mine up to 65 million
tons of coal per year.
The FEIS analyzes and discloses to the public direct, indirect, and
cumulative environmental impacts of issuing four Federal coal leases in
the Wyoming portion of the Powder River Basin. A copy of the FEIS has
been sent to affected Federal, State, and local government agencies;
persons and entities identified as potentially being affected by a
decision to lease the Federal coal in each of the tracts; and persons
who indicated to the BLM that they wished to receive a copy of the
FEIS.
The Wyoming DEQ, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement, and the Wyoming Department of Transportation are
cooperating agencies in the preparation of the FEIS.
On March 29, 2007, the BLM published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an EIS for the South Gillette Area coal lease applications in
the Federal Register. A notice announcing the availability of the Draft
EIS was published in the Federal Register by the EPA on October 24,
2008. A 60-day comment period on the Draft EIS commenced with
publication of the EPA's notice of availability and ended on December
24, 2008. The BLM published a Notice of Availability and Notice of
Public Hearing in the Federal Register on October 17, 2008. The BLM's
Federal Register notice announced the date and time of a public
hearing, which was held on November 19, 2008, in Gillette, Wyoming. The
purpose of the hearing was to solicit comments on the DEIS, on the fair
market value, and on the maximum economic recovery of the Federal coal.
During the DEIS comment period, the BLM received 18 written comments,
which are included, with agency responses, in an appendix to the FEIS.
[[Page 42094]]
The FEIS analyzes leasing all of the South Gillette Area coal
tracts as a separate Proposed Action. Under the Proposed Action, a
competitive sale would be held and a lease issued for Federal coal
contained in the tracts as applied for by each of the applicants. As
part of the coal leasing process, the BLM is evaluating adding or
subtracting Federal coal to the tracts to avoid bypassing coal or to
prompt competitive interest in unleased Federal coal in this area. The
alternate tract configurations for each of the LBAs that BLM is
evaluating are described and analyzed as separate alternatives in the
FEIS. Under these alternatives, competitive sales would be held and
leases issued for Federal coal lands included in tracts modified by the
BLM. The FEIS also analyzes the alternative of rejecting the
application(s) to lease Federal coal as the No Action Alternative. The
Proposed Actions and alternatives for each of the LBAs being considered
in the FEIS are in conformance with the Approved Resource Management
Plan for Public Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land Management
Buffalo Field Office (2001). A Record of Decision (ROD) will be
prepared after the close of the 30-day review period for the FEIS.
Comments received on the FEIS will be considered during preparation of
the ROD.
Requests to be included on the mailing list for this project and to
request copies of the FEIS may be sent in writing, by facsimile, or
electronically to the addresses previously stated at the beginning of
this notice. The BLM asks that those submitting comments on the FEIS
make them as specific as possible with reference to page numbers and
chapters of the document. Comments that contain only opinions or
preferences will not receive a formal response; however, they will be
considered as part of the BLM decision-making process.
Please note that comments and information submitted including
names, street addresses, and e-mail addresses of respondents will be
available for public review and disclosure at the above address during
regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday,
except holidays.
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.
Donald A. Simpson,
State Director.
[FR Doc. E9-20026 Filed 8-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
