[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 18 (Thursday, January 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4461-4462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1989]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[UT-930-07-1320-00]
Notice of Public Hearing and Call for Public Comment on the
Environmental Impact Statement, Proposed Sale and Fair Market Value and
Maximum Economic Recovery Consideration for Coal Lease Application UTU-
76195
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Utah.
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces a public hearing
on the Environmental Impact
[[Page 4462]]
Statement, the proposed sale and requests public comment on the fair
market value of certain coal resources it proposes to offer for
competitive lease sale. The lands included in the delineated Federal
coal lease tract (``The Pines'') are located in Sevier County, Utah,
approximately 5 miles northwest of Emergy, Utah on public land located
in the Manti-LaSal National Forest and are described as follows:
T. 20 S., R. 5 E., SLM
Section 35, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/
2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
Section 36, W\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
T. 21 S., R. 5E., SLM
Section 1, lots 3-4, S\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
Section 2, lots 1-4, S\1/2\S\1/2\;
Section 3, lots 1-2, S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
Section 10, E\1/2\;
Sections 11-14, all;
Section 15, E\1/2\;
Section 22, E\1/2\;
Sections 23-24, all;
Section 25, N\1/2\, N\1/2\S\1/2\;
Section 26, N\1/2\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SE\1/
4\.
T. 21 S., R. 6E., SLM
Section 19, lots 3-4 E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
Section 30, lots 1-3, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
Containing 7,311.43 acres more or less.
The Tract has one potentially minable coal seam, the Upper
Hiawatha. The minable portions of the seam in this area are from 6 to
14 feet in thickness and average 10.9 feet. This tract contains an
estimated 65-70 million tons of recoverable high-volatile C bituminous
coal. The coal quality in the seam on an as received basis is as
follows: 11,539 Btu/lb., 8.37 percent moisture, 8.78 percent ash, 36.87
percent volatile matter, 45.98 percent fixed carbon, and 0.5 percent
sulfur. The public is invited to the hearing to make public or written
comments on the environmental implications of leasing the proposed
tract, and also to submit comments on the fair market value (FMV) and
the maximum economic recovery (MER) of the tract.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with Federal coal management
regulations 43 CFR 4322 and 4325, a public hearing shall be held on the
proposed sale to allow public comment on and discussion of the
potential effects of mining and proposed lease. Not less than 30 days
prior to the publication of the notice of sale, the Secretary shall
solicit public comments on fair market value appraisal and meximum
economic recovery and on factors that may affect these two
determinations. Proprietary data marked as confidential may be
submitted to the Bureau of Land Management in response to this
solicitation of public comments. Data so marked shall be treated in
accordance with the laws and regulations governing the confidentiality
of such information. A copy of the comments submitted by the public on
fair market value and maximum economic recovery, except those portions
identified as proprietary by the author and meeting exemptions stated
in the Freedom of Information Act, will be available for public
inspection at the Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office during
regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) Monday through Friday.
Comments on fair market value and maximum economic recovery should be
sent to the Bureau of Land Management and should address, but not
necessarily be limited to, the following information:
1. The quality and quantity of the coal resource.
2. The mining method or methods which would achieve maximum
economic recovery of the coal, including specifications of seams to be
mined and the most desirable timing and rate of production.
3. The quantity of coal.
4. If this tract is likely to be mined as part of an existing mine
and therefore be evaluated on a realistic incremental basis, in
relation to the existing mine to which it has the greatest value.
5. If this tract should be evaluated as part of a potential larger
mining unit and evaluated as a portion of a new potential mine (i.e., a
tract which does not in itself form a logical mining unit).
6. The configuration of any larger mining unit of which the tract
may be a part.
7. Restrictions to mining which may affect coal recovery.
8. The price that the mined coal would bring when sold.
9. Costs, including mining and reclamation, of producing the coal
and the time of production.
10. The percentage rate at which anticipated income streams should
be discounted, either in the absence of inflation or with inflation, in
which case the anticipated rate of inflation should be given.
11. Depreciation and other tax accounting factors.
12. The value of any surface estate where held privately.
13. Documented information on the terms and conditions of recent
and similar coal land transactions in the lease sale area.
14. Any comparable sales data of similar coal lands.
Coal quantities and the FMV of the coal developed by BLM may or may
not change as a result of comments received from the public and changes
in market conditions between now and when final economic evaluations
are completed.
DATES: The public hearing will be held in the Salina City Hall located
at 90 West Main Street in Salina, Utah, at 7:00 p.m. on March 3, 1999.
Entrance to the building and parking is at the rear entrance. Written
comments on fair market value and maximum economic recovery must be
received at the Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office, by March
17, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Max Nielson, 801-539-4038, Bureau of
Land Management, Utah State Office, Division of Natural Resources, P.O.
Box 45155, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84145-0155. Copies of an Environmental
Impact Statement that considers leasing of this tract may be obtained
by contacting Janette Kaiser, Forest Supervisor at the Manti-LaSal
National Forest, 599 West Price River Dr. in Price, Utah (801-637-
2817).
Dated: January 22, 1999.
Douglas M. Koza,
DSD, Natural Resources, Utah.
[FR Doc. 99-1989 Filed 1-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-M
