[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 19 (Friday, January 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4701-4702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2215]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
Draft Petition Evaluation Document/Environmental Impact
Statement; Tennessee
AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.
ACTION: Reopening of the pubic comment period for the draft petition
evaluation document/environmental impact statement (PED/EIS) for Fall
Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM)
is reopening the public comment period for the draft PED/EIS on the
Fall Creek Falls State Park Unsuitability Petition. Substantial public
comments received during the previous comment periods expressed serious
concerns regarding potential environmental and economics impacts to
Fall Creek Falls State Park and Natural Area resulting from surface
coal mining operations if conducted within the petition area.
Consequently, OSM has decided to reopen the comment period to provide
the public an additional opportunity to submit information to OSM for
consideration in the evaluation of the Fall Creek Falls State Park
Unsuitability Petition.
DATES: Comments: OSM will accept written comments until 5:00 p.m.
Eastern time on April 29, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Electronic or written comments: Submit electronic comments
to bbrock@osmre.gov. Written comments may be hand-delivered or mailed
to Beverly Brock, Supervisor, Technical Group, Office of Surface
Mining, 530 Gay Street, SW, Suite 500, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly Brock, Supervisor, Technical
Group, Office of Surface Mining, 530 Gay Street, SW, Suite 500,
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902. Telephone: (423) 545-4103, ext. 146.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OSM has been petitioned by Save Our
Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning, and
forty-nine citizens to designate the watershed and viewshed of Fall
Creek Falls State Park and Natural Area, Tennessee, as unsuitable for
all types of surface coal mining operations. OSM prepared and
distributed a draft PED/EIS as required by Section 522(d) of the
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 and the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The draft PED/EIS evaluates the
potential coal resources of the area, the demand for coal resources,
and the impacts of alternative unsuitability decisions on the human
environment, the economy, and the supply of coal.
On May 1, 1998, OSM announced, via Federal Register notice (63 FR
24192), the availability of the draft PED/EIS and that written comments
on the draft PED/EIS would be accepted until July 30, 1998.
Subsequently, OSM reopened the comment period from August 21 to
September 16, 1998 (63 FR 44925), because of the public's continuing
interest and concerns regarding the environmental and economic issues
addressed in the PED/EIS. As a result of
[[Page 4702]]
OSM receiving substantial public comments on the potential
environmental impacts to Fall Creek Falls State Park and Natural Area
from surface coal mining operations, OSM is reopening the public
comment period until 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on April 29, 1999.
Dated: January 25, 1999.
Allen D. Klein,
Regional Director, Appalachian Regional Coordinating Center.
[FR Doc. 99-2215 Filed 1-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M
