05-7116. Notice of Public Hearing and Request for Comments on the Environmental Impact Statement, Maximum Economic Recovery Report, and Fair Market Value; Application for Competitive Coal Lease COC 67232; Colorado

AGENCY:

Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of public hearing.

SUMMARY:

Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Office, Lakewood, Colorado, hereby gives notice that a public hearing will be held to receive comments on the environmental impact statement, maximum economic recovery, and fair market value of federal coal to be offered. An application for coal lease was filed by Ark Land Company. The Bureau of Land Management offers for competitive lease 1,517.13 acres of Federal coal in Gunnison County, Colorado, Gunnison National Forest.

DATES:

The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 27, 2005. Written comments should be received no later than May 17, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

The public hearing will be held in the Paonia Town Hall located at 214 Grand Avenue, Paonia, Colorado. Written comments should be addressed to the Uncompahgre Field Office Manager, Uncompahgre Field Office, 2505 South Townsend Avenue, Montrose, Colorado 81401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Field Office Manager, Uncompahgre Field Office at the address above, or by telephone at 970-240-5300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Office, Lakewood, Colorado, hereby gives notice that a public hearing will be held on Wednesday, April 27, 2005, at 7 p.m., at the Paonia Town Hall at the address given above.

An application for coal lease was filed by Ark Land Company. The Bureau of Land Management offers for competitive lease federal coal in the lands outside established coal production regions described as:

T. 13 S., R. 90 W., 6th P.M.

sec. 35, lots 5 to 7, inclusive, and lots 9 to 16, inclusive, less and except land in coal leases C-1362 and COC 56447, as modified;

sec. 36, W1/2SW1/4NW1/4, and W1/2SW1/4, less and except land in coal lease COC 56447, as modified.

T. 14 S., R. 90 W., 6th P.M.

sec. 1, lots 3, 4, S1/2NW1/4, SW1/4, W1/2NW1/4SE1/4, and SW1/4SE1/4;

sec. 2, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S1/2N1/2, and S1/2;

sec. 11, N1/2N1/2;

sec. 12, N1/2NW1/4, and NW1/4NE1/4.

Containing approximately 1,517.13 acres.

The coal resource to be offered is limited to coal recoverable by underground mining methods.

The purpose of the hearing is to obtain public comments on the environmental assessment and on the following items:

(1) The method of mining to be employed to obtain maximum economic recovery of the coal, (2) The impact that mining the coal in the proposed leasehold may have on the area, and

(3) The methods of determining the fair market value of the coal to be offered.

Written requests to testify orally at the April 27, 2005, public hearing should be received at the Uncompahgre Field Office prior to the close of business April 27, 2005.

Those who indicate they wish to testify when they register at the hearing may have an opportunity if time is available.

In addition, the public is invited to submit written comments concerning the fair market value and maximum economic recovery of the coal resource. Public comments will be utilized in establishing fair market value for the coal resource in the described lands. Comments should address specific factors related to fair market value including, but not limited to:

1. The quality and quantity of the coal resource.

2. The price that the mined coal would bring in the market place.

3. The cost of producing the coal.

4. The interest rate at which anticipated income streams would be discounted.

5. Depreciation and other accounting factors.

6. The mining method or methods which would achieve maximum economic recovery of the coal.

7. Documented information on the terms and conditions of recent and similar coal land transactions in the lease area, and

8. Any comparable sales data of similar coal lands.

If any information submitted as comments are considered to be proprietary by the commenter, the information should be labeled as such and stated in the first page of the submission. Written comments on the environmental impact statement, maximum economic recovery, and fair market value should be sent to the Uncompahgre Field Office at the above address prior to the close of business on May 17, 2005, the end of the 30 day public comment period. Substantive comments, whether written or oral, will receive equal consideration prior to any lease offering. The draft of the Environmental Impact Statement and Maximum Economic Recovery Report are available from the Uncompahgre Field Office upon request.

A copy of the draft Environmental Impact Statement, the Maximum Economic Recovery Report, the case file, and the comments submitted by the public, except those portions identified as proprietary by the commenter and meeting exemptions stated in the Freedom of Information Act, will be available for public inspection after July 18, 2005, at the Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield, Lakewood, Colorado, 80215.

Dated: February 7, 2005.

Karen Zurek,

Solid Minerals Staff, Division of Energy, Lands and Minerals.