[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 194 (Thursday, October 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54635-54636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26135]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WY-060-1620-01; WYW141568, WYW146744]
Scoping Meeting on the Belle Ayr and North Jacobs Ranch Coal
Lease Applications
AGENCY: Department of the Interior, Wyoming.
ACTION: Notice of Scoping Meeting on the Belle Ayr and North Jacobs
Ranch coal lease applications in response to applications received from
AMAX Land Co. (now RAG Wyoming Land Co.) and Jacobs Ranch Coal Co. for
Federal coal in Campbell County, WY, in the decertified Powder River
Federal Coal Production Region.
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SUMMARY: BLM received an application from AMAX Land Co. (now RAG
Wyoming Land Co.) on March 20, 1997 (WYW141568), for a tract of Federal
coal that includes about 1,579 acres and approximately 200 million tons
of in-place coal in Campbell County, WY, adjacent to the existing Belle
Ayr Mine. This tract is referred to as the Belle Ayr Tract. On October
2, 1998, BLM received an application from Jacobs Ranch Coal Company for
a tract of Federal coal that includes about 4,821 acres and
approximately 519 million tons of in-place coal in Campbell County, WY,
adjacent to the existing Jacobs Ranch Mine. This tract is referred to
as the North Jacobs Ranch Tract. Both tracts were applied for as
maintenance lease-by-applications (LBAs), under the provisions of 43
CFR 3425.1.
The Powder River Regional Coal Team (RCT) reviewed the Belle Ayr
coal lease application at their meeting on April 23, 1997, in Casper,
WY, and recommended that the BLM process it. The RCT reviewed the North
Jacobs Ranch coal lease application at their meeting on February 23,
1999, in Billings, MT, and recommended that BLM process it and that BLM
and the State of Wyoming work with the oil and gas and coal operators
to resolve conflicts with existing and proposed oil and gas development
in the area of the tract.
As part of the LBA process, BLM will complete an environmental
analysis, develop possible stipulations regarding mining operations,
determine the fair market value (FMV) of the tract, and evaluate
maximum economic recovery (MER), of the coal in the proposed tract.
BLM is considering preparing a separate environmental impact
statement (EIS) for each application to satisfy the requirements of the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). An EIS is being
considered for the Belle Ayr tract because of the proximity of the
tract to existing coalbed methane development and because of the
potential for cumulative environmental impacts. An EIS is also being
considered for the North Jacobs Ranch tract. Seven new Federal coal
leases have been issued to the five mines south and east of Wright, WY,
(including the Jacobs Ranch Mine) since decertification of the Powder
River Federal Coal Region. Proposed coalbed methane development,
existing oil and gas development on the tract, and the potential for
cumulative impacts are other major reasons for considering an EIS.
DATES: As part of the public scoping process, a public scoping meeting
is scheduled at 7 p.m., on October 19, 1999, at the Tower West Lodge,
109 North US Highway 14-16, Gillette, WY. If you have concerns or
issues that you believe the BLM should address in processing these
lease applications, you can express them verbally at the scoping
meeting; or you can mail, e-mail, or fax written comments to BLM at the
address given below by October 30, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Please address written questions, comments or concerns to
Casper Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, Attn: Nancy Doelger,
1701 East E Street, Casper, WY 82601. Address e-mail to
Nancy__Doelger@blm.gov, or fax comments to 307-234-1525, Attn: Nancy
Doelger.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Doelger or Mike Karbs at the
above address, or phone: 307-261-7600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 20, 1997, AMAX Land Company (now
RAG Wyoming Land Co.) filed a coal lease application with the BLM for a
maintenance tract LBA for the following lands:
T. 48 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 18: Lots 17 thru 19;
Section 19: Lots 5 thru 19;
Section 20: Lots 3(SW4), 4(W2,SE4), 5, 6, 7(S2), 9(S2), 10 thru
16;
Section 21: Lots 13,14;
Section 28: Lots 3, 6;
Section 29: Lots 1, 6;
T. 48 N., R. 72 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 24: Lots 1,8
The tract includes 1,578.741 acres more or less, with an
estimated 200 million tons of coal in place.
The Belle Ayr Mine is adjacent to the lease application area. The
Belle Ayr Mine has an approved mining and reclamation plan, and an
approved air quality permit from the Air Quality Division of the
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to mine up to 25
million tons of coal per year. According to the application filed for
the Belle Ayr Tract, it is a maintenance tract that would be mined to
extend the life of the existing mine.
On October 2, 1998, Jacobs Ranch Coal Company filed a coal lease
application with the BLM for a maintenance tract LBA for the following
lands:
T. 44 N., R. 70 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 26: Lots 9, 10;
Section 27: Lots 1 thru 16;
Section 28: Lots 1 thru 16;
Section 29: Lots 1 thru 16;
Section 30: Lots 5 thru 20;
Section 31: Lots 5 thru 20;
Section 32: Lots 5 thru 20;
Section 33: Lots 4, 5, 12, 13;
T. 44 N., R. 71 W., 6th PM, Wyoming
Section 25: Lots 1 thru 16
The tract includes 4,821 acres more or less with an estimated
519 million tons of coal in place.
The Jacobs Ranch Mine is adjacent to the lease application area.
The Jacobs
[[Page 54636]]
Ranch Mine has an approved mining and reclamation plan, and an approved
air quality permit from the Air Quality Division of the Wyoming DEQ to
mine up to 35 million tons of coal per year. According to the
application filed for the North Jacobs Ranch Tract, it is a maintenance
tract that would be mined to extend the life of the existing mine. The
Jacobs Ranch Mine was issued a lease for a maintenance tract of Federal
coal adjacent to the Jacobs Ranch Mine in 1992.
BLM has received 13 applications to lease Federal coal in the
Wyoming portion of the Powder River Basin since 1990, when the Powder
River Federal Coal Region was decertified. Nine new Federal coal leases
have been issued, one application was rejected, and three applications,
including the Belle Ayr and North Jacobs Ranch applications, are
pending. Seven of the nine new leases were issued to mines in the group
of five surface coal mines located immediately east and southeast of
Wright, WY, in southeastern Campbell and northern Converse Counties,
WY. This southern group of mines includes the Jacobs Ranch, Black
Thunder, North Rochelle, Rochelle, North Antelope, and Antelope mines.
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) will
be a cooperating agency in the preparation of the environmental
analysis because it is the Federal agency that is responsible for
recommending approval, approval with conditions, or disapproval of the
mining plan to the Office of the Secretary of the Interior. If this
maintenance tract is leased to the applicant, the new lease must be
incorporated into the existing mining plans for the adjacent mine. The
Secretary of the Interior must approve those mining plans before the
coal in the tract can be mined.
The major issues that have been identified to date are related to
the extension of ongoing site-specific and cumulative impacts to air
quality, groundwater, and wildlife if these leases are issued and the
potential conflicts between overlapping proposed future coal mining and
existing and proposed oil and gas development in this area. If you have
specific concerns about these issues, or have other concerns or issues
that BLM should consider in processing one or both of these
applications to lease Federal coal, please address them in writing to
the above individuals or state them verbally at the October 19, 1999,
public scoping meeting at the location shown above. BLM will accept
written comments at the address shown above through October 30, 1999.
Freedom of Information
Scoping comments, including names and street addresses of
respondents, will be available for public review at the address listed
below during regular business hours (7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m.), Monday
through Friday, except holidays. Individual respondents may request
confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name or street address
from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information
Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written
comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law.
All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations
or businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their
entirety.
Dated: October 1, 1999.
Robert P. Henry,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 99-26135 Filed 10-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
