[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33132-33133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16089]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[UT-920-06-1320-00]
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Utah.

ACTION: Notice of Public Hearing and Call for Public Comment on Fair 
Market Value and Maximum Economic Recovery; Coal Lease Application UTU-
73975.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces a public hearing 
on the Environmental Assessment (EA) for a proposed coal lease sale and 
requests public comment on the fair market value of certain coal 
resources it proposes to offer for competitive lease sale. The lands 
included in coal lease application UTU-73975 are located in Carbon 
County, Utah, approximately 10 miles north of Price, Utah on public 
land and are described as follows:

    T. 12 S., R. 9 E., SLM,
    Sec. 25, lots 1-4, W2\1/2\E\1/2\, W\1/2\;
    Sec. 26, E\1/2\E\1/2\.
T. 12 S., R. 10 E., SLM
    Sec. 28, E\1/2\, E\1/2\W\1/2\, SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, W\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 29, N\1/2\N\1/2\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, E\1/
2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 30, lots 1-4, NE\1/4\, E\1/2\W\1/2\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, SW\1/
4\SE\1/4\.

    Containing 2,299.4 acres more or less.

    Three economically minable coal beds, the C Seam, Kenilworth, and D 
Seams are found in this tract. Seams are all greater than 6 feet in 
thickness. This tract contains an estimated 20 to 30 million tons of 
recoverable high-volatile B bituminous coal. The range of coal quality 
in the seams on an as received basis is as follows: 12,685-12,805 BTU/
lb., 3.23-4.23 percent moisture, .34-.44 percent sulfur, 5,36- 6.9 
percent ash, 46.57-49.08 percent fixed carbon, and 41.89-42.27 percent 
volatile matter. The public is invited to the hearing to make public or 
written comments on the EA concerning the proposal to lease the Willow 
Creek Tract, and also to submit comments on the fair market value (FMV) 
and the maximum economic recovery (MER) of the tract.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with Federal coal management 
regulations 43 CFR 4322 and 4325, a public hearing shall be held on the 
proposed sale to allow public comment on and discussion of the 
potential effects of mining and proposed lease. Not less than 30 days 
prior to the publication of the notice of sale, the Secretary shall 
solicit public comments on fair market value appraisal and maximum 
economic recovery and on factors that may affect these two 
determinations. Proprietary data marked as confidential may be 
submitted to the Bureau of Land Management in response to this 
solicitation of public comments. Data so marked shall be treated in 
accordance with the laws and regulations governing the confidentiality 
of such information. A copy of the comments submitted by the public on 
fair market value and maximum economic recovery, except those portions 
identified as proprietary by the author and meeting exemptions stated 
in the Freedom of Information Act, will be available for public 
inspection at the Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office during 
regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) Monday through Friday. 
Comments on fair market value and maximum economic recovery should be 
sent to the Bureau of Land Management and should address, but not 
necessarily be limited to, the following information:
    1. The quality and quantity of the coal resource.
    2. The mining method or methods which would achieve maximum 
economic recovery of the coal, including specifications of seams to be 
mined and the most desirable timing and rate of production.
    3. The quantity of coal.
    4. If this tract is likely to be mined as part of an existing mine 
and therefore be evaluated on a realistic incremental basis, in 
relation to the existing mine to which it has the greatest value.
    5. If this tract should be evaluated as part of a potential larger 
mining unit and evaluated as a portion of a new potential mine (i.e., a 
tract which does not in itself form a logical mining unit).
    6. The configuration of any larger mining unit of which the tract 
may be a part.
    7. Restrictions to mining which may affect coal recovery.
    8. The price that the mined coal would bring when sold.
    9. Costs, including mining and reclamation, of producing the coal 
and the time of production.
    10. The percentage rate at which anticipated income streams should 
be discounted, either in the absence of inflation or with inflation, in 
which case the anticipated rate of inflation should be given.

[[Page 33133]]

    11. Depreciation and other tax accounting factors.
    12. The value of any surface estate where held privately.
    13. Documented information on the terms and conditions of recent 
and similar coal land transactions in the lease sale area.
    14. Any comparable sales data of similar coal lands.
    Coal quantities and the FMV of the coal developed by BLM may or may 
not change as a result of comments received from the public and changes 
in market conditions between now and when final economic evaluations 
are completed.

DATES: The public hearing will be held at the BLM Price Office 
Conference Room, 125 South 600 West, Price Utah, at 7:00 p.m. on July 
30, 1996. Comments on fair market value and maximum economic recovery 
must be received at the Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office, 
by August 15, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Max Nielson, 801-539-4038, Bureau of 
Land Management, Utah State Office, Division of Natural Resources, P. 
O. Box 45155, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84145-0155. Copies of the Willow 
Creek EA may be obtained by contacting Penny Dunn at the Price BLM 
Office at 801-636-3600.

    Dated: June 18, 1996.
LeRoy R. Turner,
State Director, Utah, Acting.
[FR Doc. 96-16089 Filed 6-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P