97-28209. Coal Lease Offering  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 206 (Friday, October 24, 1997)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 55417-55418]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-28209]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
    
    Bureau of Land Management
    [MT-921-08-1320-01; MTM 83859]
    
    
    Coal Lease Offering
    
    AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
    
    ACTION: Notice of Competitive Coal Lease Offering by Sealed Bid MTM 
    83859--Spring Creek Coal Company.
    
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    SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the coal resources in the lands 
    described below in Big Horn County, Montana, will be offered for 
    competitive lease by sealed bid. This offering is being made as a 
    result of an application filed by Spring Creek Coal Company, in 
    accordance with the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as 
    amended (41 Stat. 437; 30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.).
    
    DATES: The lease sale will be held at 11:00 a.m., November 13, 1997, in 
    the Conference Room, Side A, on the Sixth Floor of the Granite Tower 
    Building, Bureau of Land Management, 222 North 32nd Street, Billings, 
    Montana 59101. Sealed bids clearly marked ``Sealed Bid for MTM 83859 
    Coal Sale--Not to be opened before 11:00 a.m., Thursday, November 13, 
    1997'', must be submitted on or before 10:00 a.m., November 13, 1997, 
    to the cashier, Bureau of Land Management, Montana State Office, Second 
    Floor, Granite Tower Building, 222 North 32nd Street, Post Office Box 
    36800, Billings, Montana 59107-6800.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An Environmental Assessment of the proposed 
    coal development and related requirements for consultation, public 
    involvement and hearings have been completed in accordance with 43 CFR 
    3425. The results of these activities were a finding of no significant 
    environmental impact.
        The coal resource to be offered consists of all recoverable 
    reserves in the following-described lands:
    
    T. 8 S., R. 39 E., P.M.M.,
        Sec. 22: E\1/2\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
        Sec. 25: SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
        Sec. 26: S\1/2\NE\1/4\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, 
    N\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, N\1/2\N\1/
    2\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/4\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/
    4\SW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, N\1/
    2\S\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/
    4\SE\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/
    4\;
        Sec. 27: N\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\S\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/
    4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/
    4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, SE\1/
    4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\NE\1/
    4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\.
    T. 8 S., R. 40 E., P.M.M.,
        Sec. 30: S\1/2\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, 
    SW\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, W\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, W\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/
    4\SE\1/4\.
    
        Containing 320.00 acres, Big Horn County, Montana.
    
        The tract in this lease offering contains split estate lands. The 
    surface is not held by a qualified surface owner as defined in the 
    regulations, 43 CFR 3400.0-5.
        The tract will be leased to the qualified bidder of the highest 
    cash amount provided that the high bid meets the fair market value of 
    the coal resource. The minimum bid for the tract is $100 per acre, or 
    fraction thereof. No bid that is less than $100 per acre, or fraction 
    thereof, will be considered. The bids should be sent by certified mail, 
    return receipt requested, or be 3 hand-
    
    [[Page 55418]]
    
     delivered. The cashier will issue a receipt for each hand-delivered 
    bid. Bids received after 10:00 a.m., Thursday, November 13, 1997, will 
    not be considered. The minimum bid is not intended to represent fair 
    market value. The fair market value will be determined by the 
    authorized officer after the sale.
        If identical high bids are received, the tieing high bidders will 
    be requested to submit follow-up sealed bids until a high bid is 
    received. All tie-breaking sealed bids must be submitted within 15 
    minutes following the Sale Official's announcement at the sale that 
    identical high bids have been received.
        A lease issued as a result of this offering will provide for 
    payment of an annual rental of $3 per acre, or fraction thereof; and a 
    royalty payable to the United States of 12.5 percent of the value of 
    coal mined by surface methods and 8.0 percent of the value of coal 
    mined by underground methods. The value of the coal shall be determined 
    in accordance with 30 CFR 206.250.
        Bidding instructions for the tract offered and the terms and 
    conditions of the proposed coal lease are included in the Detailed 
    Statement of Lease Sale. Copies of the statement and the proposed coal 
    lease are available at the Montana State Office. Casefile MTM 83859 is 
    also available for public inspection at the Montana State Office.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bettie Schaff, Land Law Examiner or 
    Edward Hughes, Coal Coordinator at (406) 255-2832 or 255-2830, 
    respectively.
    
        Dated: October 14, 1997.
    Randy D. Heuscher,
    Chief, Branch of Solid Minerals.
    [FR Doc. 97-28209 Filed 10-23-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P