[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]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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