[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18181-18182]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9792]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


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

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

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SUMMARY: A Notice of Intent to prepare a Third-Party EIS for the Pines 
Coal Lease Tract on the Manti-La Sal National Forest in Utah was 
published in the Federal Register on January 29, 1998 (Volume 63, 
Number 19, Page 4427-4428). This revised Notice of Intent supplements/
clarifies the proposed actions to be analyzed and the decisions to be 
made by the responsible agency officials and corrects errors in the 
legal description. The analysis will disclose the environmental and 
human effects of proposed actions to offer the Pines Coal Lease Tract 
for competitive bidding (43 CFR part 3425), modify Federal Coal Lease 
U-63214 by adding 150 acres (43 CFR part 3432), and proposed mining 
under Box Canyon and the associated perennial stream in the existing 
SUFCO Mine Permit Area.
    The Pines 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 (corrected legal description):

T. 20 S., R. 5 E., SLM,
    Section 35: S1/2NE1/4, SE1/4NW1/4, NE1/4SW1/4, S1/2SW1/4, SE1/4;
    Section 36: W1/2SW1/4, SE1/4SW1/4;
T. 21 S., R. 5 E., SLM,
    Section 1: lots 3-4, S1/2SW1/4, SW1/4SE1/4;
    Section 2: lots 1-4, S1/2S1/2;
    Section 3: lots 1-2, S1/2SE1/4;
    Section 10: E1/2;
    Sections 11-14: All;
    Section 15: E1/2;
    Section 22, E1/2;
    Sections 23-24: All;
    Section 25: N1/2, N1/2S1/2;
    Section 26: N1/2, NE1/4SW1/4, E1/2NW1/4SW1/4, SE1/4;
T. 21 S., R. 6 E., SLM,
    Section 19, lots 3-4, E1/2SW1/4;

    Additions and/or deletions could be considered in alternatives to 
the proposed action to be developed and analyzed based on issues and 
management needs.
    In addition to applying for the new lease, Canyon Fuel applied for 
a modification to Federal Coal Lease U-63214 (add 150 acres to this 
existing lease), and to mine under a perennial drainage in Box Canyon. 
The purpose of these applications is to allow Canyon Fuel to extend 
their existing

[[Page 18182]]

underground mining operations at the adjacent SUFCO Mine into these 
areas, extend the life of the mine, and recover minable coal reserves 
that would be otherwise bypassed.
    The proposed modification to Federal Coal Lease U-63214 would add 
150 acres to the existing lease as follows:

T. 21 S., R. 5 E, SLM,
    Section 10: SE1/4NW1/4, E1/2SW1/4, E1/2E1/2SW1/4SW1/4,
    E1/2E1/2NW1/4SW1/4, E1/2E1/2SW1/4NW1/4.

    That portion of Box Canyon proposed for underground mining is 
located as follows:

T. 21 S., R. 5 E, SLM,
    Section 15: W1/2.

    All other information published in the January 29, 1998 Federal 
Register Notice remains relevant.

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 (1) offer the Pines Tract (UTU-76195) for 
competitive leasing, (2) modify Federal Coal Lease U-63214, and (3) 
approve underground longwall mining beneath Box Canyon in accordance 
with an existing lease stipulation that prohibits subsidence of 
perennial streams, unless specifically approved.
    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 above 
actions/decisions by the Bureau of Land Management and identify 
measures needed to protect non-mineral resources.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described 
in this Notice should be received within 30 days of the date of 
publication of this Notice in the Federal Register.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning the proposed 
action and EIS should be addressed to Liane Mattson or Carter Reed, 
Manti-La Sal National Forest, telephone number (435) 637-2817.

    Dated: April 2, 1998.
Janette S. Kaiser,
Forest Supervisor, Manti-La Sal National Forest.
[FR Doc. 98-9792 Filed 4-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M