Department of the Interior July 3, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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. 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.