From: Subject: FR Doc E7-12889 Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2007 11:57:06 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-12889.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3138 FR Doc E7-12889 
[Federal Register: July 3, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 127)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 36476-36478]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03jy07-79]                        =20

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-060-1320-EL, WYW164812, WYW172388, WYW172685, WYW173408]

=20
Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare an Environmental Impact=20
Statement (EIS) and Notice of Public Meeting on Four Federal Coal Lease=20
Applications in the Decertified Powder River Federal Coal Production=20
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=20
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management=20
(BLM), Casper Field Office announces its intent to prepare one EIS on=20
the potential impacts of leasing four tracts of Federal coal. The EIS=20
will be called the Wright Area Coal EIS. Under the provisions of 43=20
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3425.1, the BLM received the=20
following applications to lease maintenance tracts (a maintenance tract=20
is a parcel of land containing Federal coal reserves that can be leased=20
to maintain production at an existing mine) in Campbell County,=20
Wyoming:
     Ark Land Company applied for a maintenance coal lease for=20
approximately 4,590.19 acres (approximately 588.2 million tons of coal)=20
in a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the Black Thunder=20
Mine. The tract, which is referred to as the Hilight Field Tract, has=20
been assigned case number WYW164812.
     Ark Land Company applied for a maintenance coal lease for=20
approximately 2,370.52 acres (approximately 428 million tons of coal)=20
in a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the Black Thunder=20
Mine. The tract, which is referred to as the West Hilight Field Tract,=20
has been assigned case number WYW172388.

[[Page 36477]]

     Jacobs Ranch Coal Company applied for a maintenance coal=20
lease for approximately 5,944.37 acres (approximately 956 million tons=20
of coal) in a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the Jacobs=20
Ranch Mine. The tract, which is referred to as the West Jacobs Ranch=20
Tract, has been assigned case number WYW172685.
     BTU Western Resources, Inc. applied for a maintenance coal=20
lease for approximately 5,116.65 acres (approximately 598 million tons=20
of coal) in a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the North=20
Antelope Rochelle Mine. The tract, which is referred to as the=20
Porcupine Tract, has been assigned case number WYW173408.
    Consistent with Federal regulations under NEPA and the Mineral=20
Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the BLM must prepare an environmental=20
analysis prior to holding a competitive Federal coal lease sale. The=20
Powder River Regional Coal Team recommended that BLM process these four=20
coal lease applications after they reviewed the Hilight Field, West=20
Hilight Field, and West Jacobs Ranch Tracts at a public meeting held on=20
April 19, 2006, in Casper, Wyoming, and the Porcupine Tract at a public=20
meeting held on January 18, 2007, in Casper, Wyoming.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. To provide the=20
public with an opportunity to review the proposal and gain=20
understanding of the coal leasing process, the BLM will host a meeting=20
on July 24, 2007, at 7 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center,=20
2009 South Douglas Highway, in Gillette, Wyoming. At the meeting, the=20
public is invited to submit comments and resource information, plus=20
identify issues or concerns to be considered in the coal leasing=20
process. The BLM can best use public input if comments and resource=20
information are submitted by August 31, 2007. The BLM will announce=20
future public meetings and other opportunities to submit comments on=20
this project at least 15 days prior to the events. Announcements will=20
be made through local news media and the Casper Field Office's Web=20
site, which is: http://fr=
webgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3D=
linklog&to=3Dhttp://www.wy.blm.gov/cfo/.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Bucklin or Mike Karbs, BLM=20
Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, Wyoming 82604. Ms.=20
Bucklin or Mr. Karbs may also be reached at (307) 261-7600.

ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments or concerns to the BLM Casper=20
Field Office, Attn: Sarah Bucklin, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper,=20
Wyoming 82604. Written comments or resource information may also be=20
hand-delivered to the BLM Casper Field Office or sent by facsimile to=20
the attention of Sarah Bucklin at (307) 261-7587. Comments may be sent=20
electronically to casper_wymail@blm.gov. Please =
include ``Wright Area=20
Coal EIS/Sarah Bucklin'' in the subject line.
    Members of the public may examine documents pertinent to this=20
proposal by visiting the Casper Field Office during its business hours=20
(7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Ark Land Company submitted an application on=20
October 7, 2005, to lease a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent=20
to the company's Black Thunder Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming, which=20
is operated by Thunder Basin Coal Company. The tract is known as the=20
Hilight Field Tract. The Hilight Field Tract includes approximately=20
588.2 million tons of Federal coal reserves underlying the following=20
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;=20
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;=20
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=20
Thunder Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 92.2 million tons per year,=20
the coal included in the Hilight Field Tract would extend the life of=20
the Black Thunder Mine by as many as six years.
    Ark Land Company submitted an application on January 17, 2006, to=20
lease a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the company's=20
Black Thunder Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming, which is operated by=20
Thunder Basin Coal Company. The tract is known as the West Hilight=20
Field Tract.
    The West Hilight Field Tract includes approximately 428 million=20
tons of Federal coal underlying the following lands in Campbell County,=20
Wyoming:

T. 43 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming Section 8: Lots 1, 2, 7 through=20
16; Section 9: Lots 1 through 16; Section 10: Lots 3 through 6, 11=20
through 14; Section 17: Lots 1 through 16; Section 20: Lots 1=20
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=20
the Black Thunder Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 92.2 million tons=20
per year, the coal included in the West Hilight Field Tract would=20
extend the life of the Black Thunder Mine by as many as four years.
    Jacobs Ranch Coal Company submitted an application on March 24,=20
2006, to lease a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the=20
company's Jacobs Ranch Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming. The tract is=20
known as the West Jacobs Ranch Tract. The West Jacobs Ranch Tract=20
includes approximately 956 million tons of Federal coal underlying the=20
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;=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;=20
Section 28: Lots 1 through 3, 5 through 16; Section 29: Lots 5=20
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=20
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=20
the Jacobs Ranch Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 39.9 million tons per=20
year, the coal included in the West Jacobs Ranch Tract would extend the=20
life of the Jacobs Ranch Mine by as many as 23 years.
    BTU Western Resources, Inc. submitted an application on September=20
29, 2006, to lease a maintenance tract of Federal coal adjacent to the=20
company's North Antelope Rochelle Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming,=20
which is operated by Powder River Coal, LLC. The tract is known as the=20
Porcupine Tract.
    The Porcupine Tract includes approximately 598 million tons of=20
Federal coal underlying the following lands in Campbell County,=20
Wyoming:

T. 41 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
    Section 7: Lots 17, 18; Section 18: Lots 6 through 11, 14=20
through 19;
T. 42 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
    Section 19: Lots 17 through 20; Section 20: Lots 13 through 16;=20
Section 26: Lots 9 through 16; Section 27: Lots 9 through 16;=20
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;=20
Section 14: Lots 1, 8, 9, 16; Section 23: Lots 1, 8(N\1/2\); Section=20
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;=20
Section 24: Lots 13 through 16; Section 25: Lots 1 through 4;=20
Section 26: Lots 1 through 6, 11 through 14; Section 27: Lots 1=20
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=20
the North Antelope Rochelle Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 89.7=20
million tons per year, the coal included in the Porcupine Tract would=20
extend the life of the North Antelope Rochelle by as many as six years.
    Lands in the Hilight Field, West Hilight Field, and Porcupine=20
Tracts contain Federal surface administered by the Forest Service and=20
private surface estate which overlies the Federal coal. Lands in the=20
West Jacobs Ranch Tract contain private surface estate which overlies=20
the Federal coal.
    The Black Thunder Mine, Jacobs Ranch Mine, and North Antelope=20
Rochelle Mine are operating under approved mining permits from the Land=20
Quality and Air Quality Divisions of the Wyoming Department of=20
Environmental Quality. The USDA Forest Service and the Office of=20
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) will be cooperating=20
agencies in the preparation of the EIS. Before the tracts can be=20
leased, the Forest Service must consent to leasing the portions of the=20
tracts that are part of the Thunder Basin National Grassland. If the=20
four tracts are leased to the applicants, the new leases must be=20
incorporated into the existing mining and reclamation plans for the=20
adjacent mines. Before the Federal coal in each tract can be mined, the=20
Secretary of the Interior must approve the revised Mineral Leasing Act=20
(MLA) mining plan for the mine in which each tract will be included.=20
The OSM is the Federal agency that is responsible for recommending=20
approval, approval with conditions, or disapproval of the revised MLA=20
mining plan to the Office of the Secretary of the Interior. Other=20
cooperating agencies may be identified during the scoping process.
    The BLM will provide interested parties the opportunity to submit=20
comments or relevant information or both. This information will help=20
the BLM identify issues to be considered in preparing the Wright Area=20
Coal EIS. Issues that have been identified in analyzing the impacts of=20
previous Federal coal leasing actions in the Wyoming Powder River Basin=20
(PRB) include the need for resolution of conflicts between existing and=20
proposed oil and gas development and coal mining on the tracts proposed=20
for coal leasing; potential impacts to big game herds and hunting;=20
potential impacts to Greater sage-grouse; potential impacts to listed=20
threatened and endangered species; potential health impacts related to=20
blasting operations conducted by the mines to remove overburden and=20
coal; the need to consider the cumulative impacts of coal leasing=20
decisions combined with other existing and proposed development in the=20
Wyoming PRB; and potential site-specific and cumulative impacts on air=20
and water quality.
    Your response is important and will be considered in the EIS=20
process. If you do respond, we will keep you informed of the=20
availability of environmental documents that address impacts that might=20
occur from this proposal.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or=20
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be=20
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying=20
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can=20
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying=20
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be=20
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