[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 222 (Wednesday, November 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 64099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30860]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[MT-020-1320-00]


Notice of Intent to Plan

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Montana, Miles City Field 
Office, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Plan, Spring Creek Coal Company's Coal 
Lease Application MTM 88405 for Certain Coal Resources in the Powder 
River Coal Region, Big Horn County, Montana.

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SUMMARY: On June 26, 1998, Spring Creek Coal Company (SCCC) filed an 
application with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to lease a 150 
acre tract containing about 19.8 million tons of Federally owned coal 
reserves near the Spring Creek Coal Mine. On June 3, 1998, Spring Creek 
Coal Company filed an application with the State of Montana Department 
of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) to lease a 479 acre coal 
tract. The tract, which would consist of three separate state leases, 
contains an estimated 62.1 million tons of state owned coal.
    As Co-Lead Agencies, the BLM and Montana DNRC will prepare one 
Environmental Assessment to evaluate the impacts of coal mining which 
would result from leasing the tracts of Federal and State coal.
    The lands included in the coal lease applications are located in 
Big Horn County, Montana and are described as follows:

Federal Lease Tract MTM 88405

T. 8 S., R. 39 E., P.M.M.
    Sec. 13: SW\1/4\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/4\SW\1/4\;
    Sec. 14: S\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/
4\, NW\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/
4\SE\1/4\;
    Sec. 23: NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, N\1/
2\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\;
    Sec. 24: NW\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/
4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\NW\1/4\.

    150 acres, more or less

State of Montana Lease Tracts

Lease C-1099-XX

T. 8 S., R., 39 E., P.M.M.
    Sec. 14: S\1/2\S\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, W\1/2\SE\1/4\.

Lease C-1100-XX

T. 8 S., R., 39 E., P.M.M
    Sec. 15: NE\1/4\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/4\, N\1/2\SE\1/4\, 
S\1/2\SE\1/4\NE\1/4\.

Lease C-1101-XX

T. 8 S., R., 39 E., P.M.M
    Sec. 23: N\1/2\N\1/2\NW\1/4\, NW\1/4\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\.

    479.16 acres, more or less

    This action could amend the Powder River Resource Management Plan 
(1984) if certain Federal coal leasing unsuitability designations on or 
adjacent to the Federal coal tracts are changed. The analysis will be 
based on existing statutory requirements and will meet the requirements 
of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 and the 
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977.

DATES: Public scoping on the proposal will begin with the date of 
publication of this Notice and will end 30 days after publication. Any 
issues, concerns or alternatives should be submitted to BLM December 
18, 1998, so they can be addressed in the environmental analysis.
    To facilitate the planning effort, two public scoping meetings have 
been scheduled as follows:
    1. December 3, 2 pm, Lame Deer, Montana, Dull Knife Memorial 
College Auditorium;
    2. December 3, 7 pm, Hardin, Montana, Becker Hotel Conference Room, 
200 North Center.
    3. December 7, 1 pm, Sheridan, Wyoming, Fulmer Public Library, 335 
W. Alger.

ADDRESSES: All submissions should be sent to the following address: 
Bureau of Land Management, Miles City Field Office, Dan Benoit, Team 
Leader, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, Montana 59301.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Benoit, Team Leader, Bureau of 
Land Management, Miles City Field Office, (406) 232-7001, ext 206.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Spring Creek Coal Company is the lessee and 
operator of Federal Coal Lease MTM 069782 at the Spring Creek Mine. The 
proposed lease area adjoins the current lease to the north.
    Due to its coal reserve base and configuration, the Spring Creek 
lease application area is a logical step to extend the life of the 
Spring Creek Mine. With the current permitted reserves of coal, the 
current level of production at the Spring Creek Mine can be maintained 
for approximately 19 more years.
    The areas applied for would be mined as an extension of the Spring 
Creek Mine and would utilize the same methods as those currently being 
used. The leases being applied for would extend the life of the mine 
for an additional 8 years beyond what is currently permitted, and 
enable recovery of coal as a logical extension of the current pits at 
the Spring Creek Mine.

    Dated: November 9, 1998.
Timothy M. Murphy,
Miles City Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-30860 Filed 11-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P