Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement to the 2011 Final EIS for the Leasing and Underground Mining of the Greens Hollow Federal Coal Lease Tract (UTU-84102), 64097-64099 [2012-25663]
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64097
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 202 / Thursday, October 18, 2012 / Notices
Integrated Resource Timber Contracts.
Forest Service Sales Officers will mail
bid forms to potential bidders, and
bidders will return the completed forms,
dated and signed, to the Forest Service
Sales Officer.
The data gathered in this information
collection are not available from other
sources.
Forms Associated With This
Information Collection
FS–2400–42a—National Forest
Timber and Forest Products for Sale
(Advertisement and Short-Form Bid):
This form will be used for soliciting and
receiving bids on short-notice timber
sales that are advertised for less than 30
days and less than $10,000 in advertised
value. Respondents are bidders on
National Forest System timber sales.
FS–2400–14—Bid for Advertised
Timber (3 form versions: FS–2400–
14UR– Unit Rate Bidding; FS–2400–
14WA– Weighted Average Bidding; FS–
2400–14TV– Total Value Bidding):
These forms will be used for soliciting
and receiving bids on Timber Sales that
are advertised for 30 days or longer and
generally greater than $10,000 in
advertised value. These forms
implement the same statutes, policies,
and regulations and collect similar
information from the same applicants.
Respondents are the bidders on National
Forest System timber and forest product
sales.
FS–2400–14BV—Solicitation and
Offer For Integrated Resource Contract
(2 form versions: FS–2400–14BV– Best
Value, Total Value Offer; and FS–2400–
14BVU– Best Value, Unit Rate Offer):
These forms will be used for soliciting
and receiving offers on Integrated
Resource Timber Contracts that are
advertised for 30 days or longer and
generally greater than $10,000 in
advertised value.
Forms showing changes to the April
2010 versions currently in use can be
viewed on the World Wide Web/
Internet site at: https://www.fs.fed.us/
forestmanagement/products/
newbidforms.shtm and at the Forest
Management Service Center, 2150
Centre Ave., Bldg. A, Fort Collins, CO.
Visitors are encouraged to call ahead at
(970) 295–5020 and ask for Lathrop
Smith to facilitate entry into the
building.
Item
FS–2400–42a
FS 2400–14
Estimate of Annual Burden .............................................
9 hours ..............................
34 hours ............................
Type of Respondents ......................................................
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents ....................
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent ........
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents ...........
532 .....................................
1.4 ......................................
4788 hours ........................
2145 ...................................
2.2 ......................................
72,930 hours .....................
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Comment is invited on: (1) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the stated purposes or
the proper performance of the functions
of the agency, including whether the
information shall have practical or
scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (4) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology.
All comments received in response to
this notice, including name and address
when provided, will be summarized and
included in the request for Office of
Management and Budget approval. All
comments also will become a matter of
public record.
Forest Service
[FR Doc. 2012–25590 Filed 10–17–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
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Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement to the 2011 Final EIS for the
Leasing and Underground Mining of
the Greens Hollow Federal Coal Lease
Tract (UTU–84102)
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare a
supplemental environmental impact
statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Manti-La Sal and
Fishlake National Forests along with the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
Price Field Office as joint lead agencies
announce their intent to prepare a
supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision
to the 2011 Final EIS For the Leasing
and Undeground Mining of the Greens
Hollow Federal Coal Lease Tract UTU–
84102. Supplemental analyses are
required to correct deficiencies in the
Final EIS.
DATES: Additional scoping will not be
conducted in accordance with 40 CFR
1502.9(c)(4). The draft supplemental EIS
is expected in late December 2012 and
the final supplemental EIS is expected
in March 2013. There will be a 45-day
comment period after the draft
supplemental EIS is issued.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
53 hours.
Individuals, large and small businesses, and corporations bidding on National Forest
timber sales and Integrated Resource Timber Contracts.
Comment Is Invited
Dated: October 10, 2012.
˜
James M. Pena,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest
System.
FS–2400–14BV
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
174
1.7
9222 hours.
Send written comments to
Allen Rowley, Forest Supervisor, 115
East 900 North, Richfield, Utah 84701.
Comments may also be sent via email to
comments-intermtn-fishlake@fs.fed.us,
or via facsimile to 435–896–9347. Please
reference Greens Hollow Supplemental
EIS in the subject field.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Marianne Orton, Forest Environmental
Coordinator, Fishlake National Forest,
115 East 900 North, Richfield, Utah
84701 or phone 435–896–1090.
Individuals who use telecommunication
devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the
Federal Information Relay Service
(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 between 8
a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday
through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
proposed Greens Hollow Federal Coal
Lease Tract is located on the Manti-La
Sal and Fishlake National Forests in
Sanpete and Sevier counties, Utah. The
surface and coal resources are both
federally owned. The Forests administer
the surface resources, while the BLM
administers the subsurface coal
resources. The tract is located on the
Muddy Creek and North Fork
Quitchupah Creek drainages
approximately 10 air miles west of the
town of Emery, Utah. The tract is
estimated to contain about 56.6 million
tons of recoverable coal reserves. The
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\18OCN1.SGM
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64098
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 202 / Thursday, October 18, 2012 / Notices
tract is being considered for competitive
coal leasing under BLM regulations at
43 CFR part 3400.
Coal in the tract would be accessed
and recovered using underground
longwall mining methods, with
foreseeable access from existing
adjacent leases. The Forest Service and
BLM have determined that data are
available to meet the Data Adequacy
Standards for Federal Coal Leasing,
Uinta-Southwestern Utah Coal Region.
The final coal lease tract, as amended
by BLM’s Tract Delineation Team,
encompasses 6,175 acres of Federal coal
estate. The proposed lease contains
about 6,096 acres of National Forest
System (NFS) lands administered by the
Manti-La Sal National Forest and about
79 acres of NFS lands administered by
the Fishlake National Forest.
A Final EIS for the Leasing and
Underground Mining of the Greens
Hollow Federal Coal Lease Tract (UTU–
84102) was released to the public along
with the Record of Decision in
December 2011. Subsequently, the
decision was made to withdraw the
Record of Decision and prepare a
Supplemental EIS.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose for developing this
Supplemental EIS is to clarify the
decisions to be made and agency
decision authority, analyze the
environmental consequences of
potential actions to be taken by each
agency, make technical corrections, and
address agency compliance actions and
key resource concerns not previously
analyzed in the original 2011 Final EIS.
The Supplemental EIS will replace the
Final EIS in its entirety. There is a need
to comply with current direction
regarding management of Inventoried
Roadless Areas and unroaded/
undeveloped areas, address key
resource concerns, and update analysis
for aquatic management indicator
species and sage-grouse.
The Forest Service and the BLM have
identified a need to respond to a federal
coal lease-by-application, and assess
whether or not to offer certain NFS
lands for lease by competitive bid. The
purpose of the federal agencies’ actions
is to facilitate continued development
and recovery of federally managed coal
resources in an environmentally sound
manner. The Proposed Action responds
to the federal government’s overall
policy to foster and encourage private
enterprise in the development of
economically sound and stable
industries, and in the orderly and
economic development of domestic
resources to help assure satisfaction of
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:15 Oct 17, 2012
Jkt 229001
industrial, security, and environmental
needs.
The BLM is considering the Proposed
Action because it would be an integral
part of the BLM’s coal leasing program
under authority of the Mineral Leasing
Act of 1920, as ammended by the
Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act
of 1976 and supplemented in 1978, and
by implementing regulations at 43 CFR
3425, Lease-On-Application. Coal
developent is recognized as an
appropriate use of public lands within
the Wasatch Plateau Coal Field. The
BLM will consider the approval of the
Proposed Action in a manner that
minimizes impacts on or to other
resource values (including water and
cultural resources), avoids or reduces
impact on resources and activities, and
prevents unnecessary or undue
degradation of public lands.
Proposed Action
The action proposed to meet the
purpose and need is for the Forest
Service to consent to the BLM offering
the Greens Hollow Federal Coal Lease
Tract (UTU–84102) for competitive bid.
The Forest Service consent decision
would include special coal lease
stipulations for use and protection of
non-mineral interests, and the BLM
decision would include stipulations
related to the mineral resource.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Bureau of Land Management,
Price Field Office, and the Forest
Service, Manti-La Sal and Fishlake
National Forests, are joint lead agencies
for this project. The USDI Office of
Surface Mining (OSM) will participate
as a cooperating agency.
Responsible Official
The Responsible Official for the
Forest Service is Allen Rowley, MantiLa Sal Acting Forest Supervisor and
Fishlake Forest Supervisor, 115 East 900
North, Richfield, Utah 84701. The
responsible official for the BLM is
William Stringer, Green River District
Manager, 170 South 500 East, Vernal
Utah 84078.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
In accordance with the Federal Coal
Leasing Amendments Act of 1975,
which amended the Mineral Leasing Act
of 1920, and enacting regulations at 43
CFR 3400, the Forest Supervisor for the
Manti-La Sal and Fishlake National
Forests, will decide whether or not to
consent to BLM leasing the subject
federal coal lease tract. As part of its
consent decision, the Forest Service will
identify special coal lease stipulations
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
needed to protect non-mineral
resources.
In accordance with the Mineral
Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and
contingent on consent of the surface
managing agency, the Green River
District Manager of the BLM will decide
whether or not to offer the tract for
competitive leasing and under what
terms, conditions, and special
stipulations.
Preliminary Issues
This Supplemental EIS will analyze
issues relating to the potential for
underground mining and associated
subsidence and foreseeable surface uses
to affect: Geologic resources (including
mining-induced subsidence and
seismicity); existing and reasonably
forseeable surface structures and
facilities; surface and ground water
resources, including water quantity and
water quality; terrestrial and aquatic
wildlife resources (including
Threatened, Endangered, and special
status species); vegetation resources
(including Threatened, Endangered, and
special status species); heritage
resources; paleontological resources;
socioeconomics; recreation; visual
quality; range; roadless characteristics;
and air quality.
Permits or Licenses Required
Should a lease be issued and before
any mining activity could commence,
the lessee must obtain a coal mining and
reclamation permit from the Utah
Division of Oil, Gas and Mining
consistent with the requirements of the
Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) as
codified in 30 CFR 700 to end, and the
Utah Coal Rules. Other Federal and
State permits would also be required.
Scoping Process
Scoping for this Supplemental EIS
was completed in preparation of the
previous EIS. The original Notice of
Intent (NOI) for the Greens Hollow Coal
Lease Tract was printed in the Federal
Register (Vol. 73, No. 29, pp. 8060–
8062) on February 12, 2008. The NOI
designated a 45-day comment period
ending March 28, 2008, when comments
would be most useful. A public notice
was also distributed to interested
individuals on the BLM, Price Field
Office and Manti-La Sal and Fishlake
National Forests mailing lists. A legal
notice was also sent to local newspapers
to notify the general public.
A content analysis of the comments
received on the Draft EIS was prepared.
A summary of the issues and concerns,
grouped by discipline or resource,
identified during the scoping process
E:\FR\FM\18OCN1.SGM
18OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 202 / Thursday, October 18, 2012 / Notices
were analyzed in the EIS, while a more
detailed record of responses received
were compiled into a scoping report for
the project.
Other Public Involvement
The Draft EIS for the Greens Hollow
Coal Lease Tract was released and
distributed on March 26, 2009. The EPA
Notice of Availability (NOA) was
published in the Federal Register on
April 3, 2009, initiating the formal 45day coment period on the Draft EIS. The
BLM NOA appeared in the Federal
Register on April 6, 2009. The Forest
Service Legal Notice of Proposed Action
appeared in the local newsapers on
April 14 and 15, 2009. The NOA was
also posted on the BLM’s Environmental
Notification Bulletin Board on April 3,
2009. An electronic copy of the Draft
EIS was also made available on the
BLM’s Web site and hard copies were
mailed to the project mailing list.
Responses to comments on the Draft EIS
were included in the Final EIS,
Appendix C.
The Final EIS was released to the
public on December 14, 2011. The EPA
NOA was published in the Federal
Register on December 23, 2011. On
February 13, 2012, an appeal was filed
with the Region 4, Regional Forester.
Following the appeal, the decision was
made to withdraw the Record of
Decision and conduct additional
analysis.
Dated: October 11, 2012.
Allen Rowley,
Forest Supervisor, Fishlake and Manti LaSal
National Forests.
[FR Doc. 2012–25663 Filed 10–17–12; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Snohomish County Resource Advisory
Committee (RAC)
The Snohomish County
Resource Advisory Committee (RAC)
will meet in Everett, Washington on
October 25, 2012. The committee is
meeting to review and prioritize 2012
and 2013 Snohomish County RAC
Project Proposals for funding.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Thursday, October 25, 2012, from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in
the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National
Forest 4th floor Conference Room,
located at the Wall Street Building, 2930
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18:15 Oct 17, 2012
Jkt 229001
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Peter Forbes, District Ranger, Darrington
Ranger District, phone (360) 436–2301,
email pforbes@fs.fed.us. Individuals
who use telecommunication devices for
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday
through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
meeting is open to the public. More
information will be posted on the Mt.
Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Web
site at https://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/
projects/rac.shtml.
Comments may be sent via email to
pforbes@fs.fed.us or via facsimile to
(360) 436–1309. All comments,
including names and addresses when
provided, are placed in the record and
are available for public inspection and
copying. The public may inspect
comments received at the Darrington
Ranger District office at 1405 Emens
Avenue, Darrington, Washington,
during regular office hours (Monday
through Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.).
Title: Intermediary Relending
Program.
OMB Number: 0570–0021.
Expiration Date of Approval: February
28, 2013.
Type of Request: Extension of
currently approved collection
information.
Abstract: The regulations contain
various requirements for information
from the intermediaries, and some
requirements may cause the
intermediary to seek information from
ultimate recipients. The information
requested is necessary for RBS to be able
to process applications in a responsible
manner, make prudent credit and
program decisions, and effectively
monitor the intermediaries’ activities to
protect the Government’s financial
interest and ensure that funds obtained
from the Government are used
appropriately. It includes information to
identify the intermediary; describe the
intermediary’s experience and expertise;
describe how the intermediary will
operate its revolving loan fund; provide
for debt instruments, loan agreements,
and security; and other material
necessary for prudent credit decisions
and reasonable program monitoring.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 7.5 hours per
response.
Respondents: Non-profit corporations,
public agencies, Indian tribes and
cooperatives.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
202.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 12.
Estimated Number of Responses:
2,383.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 17,959 hours.
Copies of this information collection
can be obtained from Brigitte Sumter,
Regulations and Paperwork
Management Branch, Support Services
Division at (202) 692–0042.
Dated: October 12, 2012.
Jennifer Eberlien,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2012–25661 Filed 10–17–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Proposed collection; comments
requested.
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Rural BusinessCooperative Service’s (RBS) intention to
request an extension of a currently
approved information collection in
support of the Intermediary Relending
Program (IRP).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by December 17, 2012, to be
assured of consideration.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori
Washington, Specialty Programs
Division, Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
STOP 3225, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC 20250–3225,
SUMMARY:
Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
Telephone (202) 720–9815, Email
lori.washington@wdc.usda.gov.
AGENCY:
Forest Service
SUMMARY:
Wetmore Ave., Everett, Washington
98201.
Notice of Request for Extension of a
Currently Approved Information
Collection
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
64099
PO 00000
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Comments
Comments are invited on (a) whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of RBS, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of
RBS’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
E:\FR\FM\18OCN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 202 (Thursday, October 18, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64097-64099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-25663]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement to the 2011 Final EIS
for the Leasing and Underground Mining of the Greens Hollow Federal
Coal Lease Tract (UTU-84102)
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact
statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Manti-La Sal and Fishlake National Forests along with the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Price Field Office as joint lead
agencies announce their intent to prepare a supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision to the 2011 Final EIS For
the Leasing and Undeground Mining of the Greens Hollow Federal Coal
Lease Tract UTU-84102. Supplemental analyses are required to correct
deficiencies in the Final EIS.
DATES: Additional scoping will not be conducted in accordance with 40
CFR 1502.9(c)(4). The draft supplemental EIS is expected in late
December 2012 and the final supplemental EIS is expected in March 2013.
There will be a 45-day comment period after the draft supplemental EIS
is issued.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Allen Rowley, Forest Supervisor,
115 East 900 North, Richfield, Utah 84701. Comments may also be sent
via email to comments-intermtn-fishlake@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to
435-896-9347. Please reference Greens Hollow Supplemental EIS in the
subject field.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marianne Orton, Forest Environmental
Coordinator, Fishlake National Forest, 115 East 900 North, Richfield,
Utah 84701 or phone 435-896-1090. Individuals who use telecommunication
devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern
Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Greens Hollow Federal Coal
Lease Tract is located on the Manti-La Sal and Fishlake National
Forests in Sanpete and Sevier counties, Utah. The surface and coal
resources are both federally owned. The Forests administer the surface
resources, while the BLM administers the subsurface coal resources. The
tract is located on the Muddy Creek and North Fork Quitchupah Creek
drainages approximately 10 air miles west of the town of Emery, Utah.
The tract is estimated to contain about 56.6 million tons of
recoverable coal reserves. The
[[Page 64098]]
tract is being considered for competitive coal leasing under BLM
regulations at 43 CFR part 3400.
Coal in the tract would be accessed and recovered using underground
longwall mining methods, with foreseeable access from existing adjacent
leases. The Forest Service and BLM have determined that data are
available to meet the Data Adequacy Standards for Federal Coal Leasing,
Uinta-Southwestern Utah Coal Region.
The final coal lease tract, as amended by BLM's Tract Delineation
Team, encompasses 6,175 acres of Federal coal estate. The proposed
lease contains about 6,096 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands
administered by the Manti-La Sal National Forest and about 79 acres of
NFS lands administered by the Fishlake National Forest.
A Final EIS for the Leasing and Underground Mining of the Greens
Hollow Federal Coal Lease Tract (UTU-84102) was released to the public
along with the Record of Decision in December 2011. Subsequently, the
decision was made to withdraw the Record of Decision and prepare a
Supplemental EIS.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose for developing this Supplemental EIS is to clarify the
decisions to be made and agency decision authority, analyze the
environmental consequences of potential actions to be taken by each
agency, make technical corrections, and address agency compliance
actions and key resource concerns not previously analyzed in the
original 2011 Final EIS. The Supplemental EIS will replace the Final
EIS in its entirety. There is a need to comply with current direction
regarding management of Inventoried Roadless Areas and unroaded/
undeveloped areas, address key resource concerns, and update analysis
for aquatic management indicator species and sage-grouse.
The Forest Service and the BLM have identified a need to respond to
a federal coal lease-by-application, and assess whether or not to offer
certain NFS lands for lease by competitive bid. The purpose of the
federal agencies' actions is to facilitate continued development and
recovery of federally managed coal resources in an environmentally
sound manner. The Proposed Action responds to the federal government's
overall policy to foster and encourage private enterprise in the
development of economically sound and stable industries, and in the
orderly and economic development of domestic resources to help assure
satisfaction of industrial, security, and environmental needs.
The BLM is considering the Proposed Action because it would be an
integral part of the BLM's coal leasing program under authority of the
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as ammended by the Federal Coal Leasing
Amendments Act of 1976 and supplemented in 1978, and by implementing
regulations at 43 CFR 3425, Lease-On-Application. Coal developent is
recognized as an appropriate use of public lands within the Wasatch
Plateau Coal Field. The BLM will consider the approval of the Proposed
Action in a manner that minimizes impacts on or to other resource
values (including water and cultural resources), avoids or reduces
impact on resources and activities, and prevents unnecessary or undue
degradation of public lands.
Proposed Action
The action proposed to meet the purpose and need is for the Forest
Service to consent to the BLM offering the Greens Hollow Federal Coal
Lease Tract (UTU-84102) for competitive bid. The Forest Service consent
decision would include special coal lease stipulations for use and
protection of non-mineral interests, and the BLM decision would include
stipulations related to the mineral resource.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Bureau of Land Management, Price Field Office, and the Forest
Service, Manti-La Sal and Fishlake National Forests, are joint lead
agencies for this project. The USDI Office of Surface Mining (OSM) will
participate as a cooperating agency.
Responsible Official
The Responsible Official for the Forest Service is Allen Rowley,
Manti-La Sal Acting Forest Supervisor and Fishlake Forest Supervisor,
115 East 900 North, Richfield, Utah 84701. The responsible official for
the BLM is William Stringer, Green River District Manager, 170 South
500 East, Vernal Utah 84078.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
In accordance with the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1975,
which amended the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, and enacting regulations
at 43 CFR 3400, the Forest Supervisor for the Manti-La Sal and Fishlake
National Forests, will decide whether or not to consent to BLM leasing
the subject federal coal lease tract. As part of its consent decision,
the Forest Service will identify special coal lease stipulations needed
to protect non-mineral resources.
In accordance with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and
contingent on consent of the surface managing agency, the Green River
District Manager of the BLM will decide whether or not to offer the
tract for competitive leasing and under what terms, conditions, and
special stipulations.
Preliminary Issues
This Supplemental EIS will analyze issues relating to the potential
for underground mining and associated subsidence and foreseeable
surface uses to affect: Geologic resources (including mining-induced
subsidence and seismicity); existing and reasonably forseeable surface
structures and facilities; surface and ground water resources,
including water quantity and water quality; terrestrial and aquatic
wildlife resources (including Threatened, Endangered, and special
status species); vegetation resources (including Threatened,
Endangered, and special status species); heritage resources;
paleontological resources; socioeconomics; recreation; visual quality;
range; roadless characteristics; and air quality.
Permits or Licenses Required
Should a lease be issued and before any mining activity could
commence, the lessee must obtain a coal mining and reclamation permit
from the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining consistent with the
requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977
(SMCRA) as codified in 30 CFR 700 to end, and the Utah Coal Rules.
Other Federal and State permits would also be required.
Scoping Process
Scoping for this Supplemental EIS was completed in preparation of
the previous EIS. The original Notice of Intent (NOI) for the Greens
Hollow Coal Lease Tract was printed in the Federal Register (Vol. 73,
No. 29, pp. 8060-8062) on February 12, 2008. The NOI designated a 45-
day comment period ending March 28, 2008, when comments would be most
useful. A public notice was also distributed to interested individuals
on the BLM, Price Field Office and Manti-La Sal and Fishlake National
Forests mailing lists. A legal notice was also sent to local newspapers
to notify the general public.
A content analysis of the comments received on the Draft EIS was
prepared. A summary of the issues and concerns, grouped by discipline
or resource, identified during the scoping process
[[Page 64099]]
were analyzed in the EIS, while a more detailed record of responses
received were compiled into a scoping report for the project.
Other Public Involvement
The Draft EIS for the Greens Hollow Coal Lease Tract was released
and distributed on March 26, 2009. The EPA Notice of Availability (NOA)
was published in the Federal Register on April 3, 2009, initiating the
formal 45-day coment period on the Draft EIS. The BLM NOA appeared in
the Federal Register on April 6, 2009. The Forest Service Legal Notice
of Proposed Action appeared in the local newsapers on April 14 and 15,
2009. The NOA was also posted on the BLM's Environmental Notification
Bulletin Board on April 3, 2009. An electronic copy of the Draft EIS
was also made available on the BLM's Web site and hard copies were
mailed to the project mailing list. Responses to comments on the Draft
EIS were included in the Final EIS, Appendix C.
The Final EIS was released to the public on December 14, 2011. The
EPA NOA was published in the Federal Register on December 23, 2011. On
February 13, 2012, an appeal was filed with the Region 4, Regional
Forester. Following the appeal, the decision was made to withdraw the
Record of Decision and conduct additional analysis.
Dated: October 11, 2012.
Allen Rowley,
Forest Supervisor, Fishlake and Manti LaSal National Forests.
[FR Doc. 2012-25663 Filed 10-17-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
