E6-13633. Notice of Invitation for Coal Exploration License Application, Wyoming

AGENCY:

Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of Invitation for Coal Exploration License Application, Jacobs Ranch Coal Company, WYW172929, Wyoming.

SUMMARY:

Pursuant to section 2(b) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended by section 4 of the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1976, 90 Stat. 1083, 30 U.S.C. 201(b), and to the regulations adopted as 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3410, all interested qualified parties, as provided in 43 CFR 3472.1, are hereby invited to participate with Jacobs Ranch Coal Company on a pro rata cost sharing basis in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America in the following-described lands in Campbell County, Wyoming:

T. 44 N., R. 70 W., 6th P.M., Wyoming,

Sec. 21: Lots 1 through 16;

T. 43 N., R. 71 W., 6th P.M., Wyoming,

Sec. 3: Lots 2, 5 through 19;

Sec. 4: Lots 5 through 20;

Sec. 5: Lots 5 through 20;

Sec. 6: Lots 8, 15, 16, 23;

T. 44 N., R. 71 W., 6th P.M., Wyoming,

Sec. 15: Lots 9 through 16;

Sec. 20: Lots 9, 10, 14, 15;

Sec. 21: Lots 1 through 16;

Sec. 22: Lots 1 through 16;

Sec. 27: Lots 1 through 16;

Sec. 28: Lots 1 through 16;

Sec. 29: Lots 1 through 15, SE1/4SE1/4,

Sec. 30: Lots 5, 12, 13, 20;

Sec. 31: Lots 5, 12, 13, 20;

Sec. 32: Lots 1 through 15, SW1/4SE1/4;

Sec. 33: Lots 1 through 15, NE1/4SE1/4;

Sec. 34: Lots 1 through 16;

Containing 9,260.58 acres, more or less.

DATES:

Any party electing to participate in this exploration program must send written notice to both the Bureau of Land Management and Jacobs Ranch Coal Company, as provided in the ADDRESSES section below, no later than thirty days after publication of this invitation in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES:

Copies of the exploration plan are available for review during normal business hours in the following offices (serialized under number WYW172929): Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone Road, P.O. Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY 82003; and, Bureau of Land Management, Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, WY 82604. The written notice should be sent to the following addresses: Jacobs Ranch Coal Company, c/o Rio Tinto Energy America, Attn: Tom Suchomel, Caller Box 3009, Gillette, WY 82717, and the Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, Branch of Solid Minerals, Attn: Mavis Love, P.O. Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY 82003.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

All of the coal in the above-described land consists of unleased Federal coal within the Powder River Basin Known Coal Leasing Area. The purpose of the exploration program is to obtain supplemental geotechnical data from two previous drilling programs and to assist with the planning of future expansions to the Jacobs Ranch Mine. This notice of invitation will be published in The News-Record of Gillette, WY, once each week for two consecutive weeks beginning the week of August 14, 2006, and in the Federal Register.

The foregoing is published in the Federal Register pursuant to 43 CFR 3410.2-1(c)(1).

Dated: July 28, 2006.

Alan Rabinoff,

Deputy State Director, Minerals and Lands.