[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 19 (Thursday, January 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4427-4428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2241]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 19 / Thursday, January 29, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 4427]]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Pines Coal Lease Tract, UTU-76195, Manti-La Sal National Forest, 
Sanpete, Sevier, and Emery Counties, Utah

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Third-Party Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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

SUMMARY: The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management will direct 
preparation of a Third-Party Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to 
document the analysis and disclose the environmental and human effects 
of proposed actions to offer the Pines Coal Lease Tract for competitive 
bidding in accordance with 43 CFR part 3425. As the surface management 
agency, the Forest Service will be the lead agency for preparation of 
the EIS and the Bureau of Land Management will be a joint or 
cooperating agency. The Office of Surface Mining will also participate 
as a cooperating agency.
    The coal lease tract, as delineated by the Tract Delineation Team, 
encompasses 7,311 acres of Federal coal lands on the Manti-La Sal 
National Forest as follows:
T. 20 E., R. 5 E., SLM,
    Sec. 36: W\1/2\S, \1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\. NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/
2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\;
T. 21 S., R. 5 E., SLM,
    Sec. 1: lots 3-4, S\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 2: lots 1-4, S\1/2\S\1/2\;
    Sec. 3: lots 1-2, S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 10: E\1/2\;
    Sec. 11-14: All;
    Sec. 15: E\1/2\;
    Sec. 22, E\1/2\;
    Sec. 23-24: All;
    Sec. 25: N\1/2\, N\1/2\S\1/2\;
    Sec. 25: N\1/2\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\.
T. 21 S., R. 6 E., SLM,
    Sec. 19, lots 3-4, E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 30, lots 1-3, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
    Additions and/or deletions could be considered in alternatives 
to the proposed action to be developed and analyzed based on issues 
and management needs.

    Canyon Fuel Company, LLC applied to the Bureau of Land Management 
for the lease to obtain additional coal reserves to increase the 
production life of their SUFCO Mine. The tract lies directly adjacent 
to the east boundary of the existing approved permit area for this 
underground mine. If Canyon Fuel obtains the tract, it would be mined 
by longwall and room-and pillar methods from underground workings in 
the existing permit area. The existing portal facilities in Convulsion 
Canyon would be used. If another company obtains the tract, it is most 
likely that new portal facilities would be required at the coal outcrop 
in Link Canyon. The underground mining methods and layout would be 
similar. The EIS would consider the effects of both scenarios, the No 
Action Alternative, and other alternatives to be developed after 
completion of project scoping.

AGENCY DECISIONS: In accordance with the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, 
as amended, the Utah State Director of the Bureau of Land Management 
must decide whether or not to offer the tract for competitive leasing 
and under what terms, conditions, and stipulations.
    In accordance with the Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1975, which 
amended the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, the Forest Supervisor, Manti-
La Sal National Forest, must decide whether or not to consent to 
leasing by the Bureau of Land Management and identify special coal 
lease stipulations needed to protect non-mineral resources.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described 
in this Notice should be received on or before March 2, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Manti-La Sal National Forest, 599 
West Price River Drive, Price, Utah 84501.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions concerning the proposed action and 
EIS should be addressed to Carter Reed or Aaron Howe, Manti-La Sal 
National Forest, phone (435) 637-2817.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EIS will tier to the Final EIS and 
Record of Decision for the Manti-La Sal National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The Manti-La Sal Forest Plan 
provides the overall guidance (Goals, Objectives, Standards, and 
Management Area Direction) to achieve the Desired Future Condition for 
the area being analyzed, and contains specific management area 
prescriptions for the entire Forest. The proposed lease tract is 
available for further consideration for coal leasing. The Forest 
Service and Bureau of Land Management have determined that data is 
available to meet the Data Adequacy Standards for Federal Coal Leasing, 
Uinta-Southwestern Utah Coal Region.
    Issues and alternatives to be evaluated in the analysis will be 
determined through public scoping. The major issues are expected to 
include the socioeconomic benefits of mining; the potential impacts of 
underground mining and mining-induced subsidence to surface and ground 
water, vegetation, wildlife, cultural/paleontological resources, range 
improvements, and other land uses; and the potential impacts of any new 
surface facilities to the Forest and human environments.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from 
Federal, State, and local agencies as well as individuals and 
organizations who may be interested in, or effected by the proposed 
action. The Forest Service invites written comments and suggestions on 
the issues related to the proposal and the area being analyzed.
    Information received will be used in preparation of the Draft EIS 
and Final EIS. For most effective use, comments would be submitted to 
the Forest Service within 30 days from the date of publication of this 
Notice in the Federal Register. Preparation of the EIS will include the 
following steps:
    1. Define the purpose of and need for action.
    2. Identify potential issues.
    3. Eliminate issues of minor importance or those that have been 
covered by previous and relevant environmental analysis.
    4. Select issues to be analyzed in depth.
    5. Identify reasonable alternatives to the proposed action.
    6. Describe the affected environment.
    7. Identify the potential environmental effects of the 
alternatives.
    Steps 2, 3, and 4 will be completed through the scoping process.
    Step 5 will consider a range of alternative developed from the key 
issues and management needs. At a minimum, the ``No Action'' and 
``Proposed Action'' Alternatives will be

[[Page 4428]]

analyzed. Other alternatives could involve modified tract boundaries 
(additions and/or reductions) and different sets of special lease 
stipulations for the protection of non-mineral resources. Alternatives 
may also be developed to include analysis of mining in the existing 
adjacent lease area and a potential modification of adjacent existing 
leases to add up to 160 acres/lease to prevent bypassing minable 
reserves.
    Step 6 will describe the physical attributes of the area to be 
affected by this proposal, with special attention to the environmental 
factors that could be adversely affected.
    Step 7 will analyze the environmental effects of each alternative. 
This analysis will be consistent with management direction outlined in 
the Forest Plan. The direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of each 
alternative will be analyzed and documented. In addition, the site 
specific mitigation measures for each alternative will be identified 
and the effectiveness of these mitigation measures will be disclosed.
    Agency representatives and other interested people are invited to 
visit with Forest Service officials at any time during the EIS process. 
Two specific time periods are identified for the receipt of formal 
comments on the analysis. The two comment periods are, (1) During the 
scoping process, the next 30 days following publication of this Notice 
in the Federal Register, and (2) during the formal review period of the 
Draft EIS.
    The Draft EIS is estimated to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and available for public review in July, 1998. 
At this time the EPA will publish an availability notice of the Draft 
EIS in the Federal Register.
    The comment period on the Draft EIS will be 45 days from the date 
the Environmental Protection Agency's notice of availability appears in 
the Federal Register. It is very important that those interested in 
this proposed action participate at that time. To be the most helpful, 
comments on the Draft EIS should be as specific as possible and may 
address the adequacy of the statement or the merits of the alternatives 
discussed (See The Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for 
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3).
    In addition, Federal court decisions have established that 
reviewers of draft environmental impact statements must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is 
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewers' position and 
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
553 (1978). Environmental objections that could have been raised at the 
draft stage may be waived if not raised until after completion of the 
final environmental impact statement. City of Angoon v. Hodel, (9th 
Circuit, 1986), and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 
1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). The reason for this is to ensure that 
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest 
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to 
them in the final document.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns related to the proposed action, comments on the Draft EIS 
should be as specific as possible. Referring to specific pages or 
chapters of the Draft EIS is most helpful. Comments may also address 
the adequacy of the Draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives 
formulated and discussed in the statement. (Reviewers may wish to refer 
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing 
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, 40 
CFR 1503.3, in addressing these points.)
    The final EIS is expected to be released in October, 1998.
    The Forest Supervisor for the Manti-La Sal National Forest and Utah 
State Director of the Bureau of Land Management, who are the 
responsible officials for the EIS, will then make their respective 
decisions regarding this proposal, after considering the comments, 
responses, and environmental consequences discussed in the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement, and applicable laws, regulations, and 
policies. The rationale for the respective agency decisions will be 
documented in the Record(s) of Decisions.

    Dated: January 20, 1998.
Janette S. Kaiser,
Forest Supervisor, Manti-La Sal National Forest.
[FR Doc. 98-2241 Filed 1-28-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M