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[Federal Register: March 29, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 60)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 14828-14830]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-060-1320-EL, WYW161248, WYW172585, WYW172657, WYW173360]

=20
Notice of Public Hearing, Notice of Intent To Begin Scoping, and=20
To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:  Notice of Public Hearing, Notice of Intent (NOI) To Begin=20
Scoping, and to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Four=20
Federal Coal Lease Applications (LBA) in the Decertified Powder River=20
Federal Coal Production Region, Wyoming.

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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=20
titled ``South Gillette Area Coal EIS'' on the potential and cumulative=20
impacts of leasing four tracts of Federal coal. Consistent with Federal=20
regulations promulgated for the Minerals Leasing Act of 1920, as=20
amended, 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3425, the BLM must=20
prepare an environmental analysis prior to holding a competitive=20
Federal coal lease sale.

DATES: This notice initiates the scoping process. The BLM can best use=20
public input if comments and resource information are submitted to the=20
address below in the ADDRESSES section by June 1, 2007.
    To provide the public with an opportunity to review the proposal=20
and gain understanding of the coal leasing process, the BLM will host a=20
meeting on April 11, 2007, at 7 p.m. at the Gillette College=20
Presentation Hall, Room 120, 300 West Sinclair, Gillette, Wyoming. At=20
the meeting, the public is invited to submit comments and resource=20
information, plus identify issues or concerns to be considered in the=20
coal leasing process. The BLM will announce future public meetings and=20
other opportunities to submit comments on this project at least 15 days=20
prior to the events. Announcements will be made through local news=20
media and the Casper Field Office's Web 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/
.


ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments or concerns to the BLM Casper=20
Field Office, Attn: Teresa Johnson, 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 Teresa Johnson at (307) 261-7510. Comments may be sent=20
electronically to casper_wymail@blm.gov. Please =
put ``South Gillette=20
Area Coal EIS/Teresa Johnson'' 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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A maintenance tract is a parcel of land

[[Page 14829]]

containing Federal coal reserves that can be leased to maintain=20
production at an existing mine. The BLM received four Federal coal LBAs=20
for use as maintenance tracts in Campbell County, Wyoming.
    On June 6, 2004, RAG Wyoming Land Company (RAG) applied for a=20
maintenance coal lease tract of approximately 1,578.74 acres=20
(approximately 200 million tons of in-place coal) adjacent to the Belle=20
Ayr Mine. RAG subsequently sold the Belle Ayr Mine and its associated=20
interests to Foundation Coal Holdings, Inc. (Foundation). From this=20
point forward, the applicant for the Belle Ayr North Tract will be=20
referred to as Foundation. The tract, which is referred to as the Belle=20
Ayr North Tract, has been assigned case number WYW161248. The Belle Ayr=20
North Tract includes 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.

    Foundation proposes to mine the tract as a part of the Belle Ayr=20
Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 24.6 million tons per year, the coal=20
included in the Belle Ayr North Tract would extend the life of the=20
Belle Ayr Mine by as many as 8 years.
    On February 10, 2006, Ark Land Company (Ark) applied for a=20
maintenance coal tract of approximately 1,151 acres (approximately 57=20
million tons of in-place coal) adjacent to the Coal Creek Mine. The=20
tract, which is referred to as the West Coal Creek Tract, has been=20
assigned case number WYW172585. The West Coal Creek Tract includes the=20
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.

    Ark's subsidiary, Thunder Basin Coal Company, proposes to mine the=20
tract as a part of the Coal Creek Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 4.2=20
million tons per year, the coal included in the West Coal Creek Tract=20
would extended the life of the Coal Creek Mine by as many as 13 years.
    On March 15, 2006, Caballo Coal Company (Caballo) applied for a=20
maintenance coal tract of approximately 777.485 acres (approximately=20
87.5 million tons of in-place coal) adjacent to the Caballo Mine. The=20
tract, which is referred to as the Caballo West Tract, has been=20
assigned case number WYW172585. The Caballo West Tract includes the=20
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: Lots 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.

    Caballo proposes to mine the tract as a part of the Caballo Mine.=20
At the 2006 mining rate of 39 million tons per year, the coal included=20
in the Caballo West Tract would extend the life of the Caballo Mine by=20
as many as 2.2 years.
    On September 1, 2006, Cordero Mining Company (Cordero) applied for=20
a maintenance coal tract of approximately 4,653.80 acres (approximately=20
483 million tons of in-place coal) adjacent to the Cordero Rojo Mine.=20
The tract, which is referred to as the Maysdorf II Tract, has been=20
assigned case number WYW173360. The Maysdorf II Tract includes the=20
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;
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.

    Cordero proposes to mine the tract as a part of the Cordero Rojo=20
Mine. At the 2006 mining rate of 39.7 million tons per year, the coal=20
included in the Maysdorf II Tract would extend the life of the Cordero=20
Rojo Mine by as many as 12 years.
    Lands in the Belle Ayr North, West Coal Creek, and Caballo West=20
Tracts contain private surface estate overlying the Federal coal. Lands=20
in the Maysdorf II Tract contain private and Federal surface estate=20
overlying the Federal coal. The Federal surface is administered by BLM.
    The Belle Ayr Mine, Coal Creek Mine, Caballo Mine, and Cordero Rojo=20
Mine are operating under approved mining permits from the Land Quality=20
and Air Quality Divisions of the Wyoming Department of Environmental=20
Quality.
    The Powder River Regional Coal Team recommended that BLM process=20
these four coal lease applications after they reviewed the Belle Ayr=20
North Tract at a public meeting held on April 24, 2005, in Gillette,=20
Wyoming, and the West Coal Creek, Caballo West, and Maysdorf II Tracts=20
at a public meeting held on April 19, 2006, in Casper, Wyoming.
    The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) will=20
be a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS. If the four=20
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 MLA mining plan for=20
the mine in which each tract will be included. The OSM is the Federal=20
agency that is responsible for recommending approval, approval with=20
conditions, or disapproval of the revised MLA mining plan to the Office=20
of the Secretary of the Interior. Other cooperating agencies may be=20
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 South=20
Gillette Area Coal EIS. Issues that have been identified in analyzing=20
the impacts of previous Federal coal leasing actions in the Wyoming=20
Powder River Basin (PRB) include the need for resolution of conflicts=20
between existing and proposed oil and gas development and coal mining=20
on the tracts proposed for coal leasing; potential impacts to big game=20
herds and hunting; potential impacts to sage-grouse; potential impacts=20
to listed Threatened and Endangered Species; potential health impacts=20
related to blasting operations conducted by the mines to remove=20
overburden and coal; the need to consider the cumulative impacts of=20
coal leasing decisions combined with other existing and proposed=20
development in the Wyoming PRB; and potential site-specific and=20
cumulative impacts on air 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

[[Page 14830]]

documents that address impacts that might 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.

    Dated: February 21, 2007.
Donald A. Simpson,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 07-1566 Filed 3-28-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-22-P