[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 18 (Thursday, January 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4461-4462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1989]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[UT-930-07-1320-00]


Notice of Public Hearing and Call for Public Comment on the 
Environmental Impact Statement, Proposed Sale and Fair Market Value and 
Maximum Economic Recovery Consideration for Coal Lease Application UTU-
76195

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Utah.

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces a public hearing 
on the Environmental Impact

[[Page 4462]]

Statement, the proposed 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 the delineated Federal 
coal lease tract (``The Pines'') are located in Sevier County, Utah, 
approximately 5 miles northwest of Emergy, Utah on public land located 
in the Manti-LaSal National Forest and are described as follows:

T. 20 S., R. 5 E., SLM
    Section 35, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/
2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Section 36, W\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\.
T. 21 S., R. 5E., SLM
    Section 1, lots 3-4, S\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    Section 2, lots 1-4, S\1/2\S\1/2\;
    Section 3, lots 1-2, S\1/2\SE\1/4\;
    Section 10, E\1/2\;
    Sections 11-14, all;
    Section 15, E\1/2\;
    Section 22, E\1/2\;
    Sections 23-24, all;
    Section 25, N\1/2\, N\1/2\S\1/2\;
    Section 26, 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. 6E., SLM
    Section 19, lots 3-4 E\1/2\SW\1/4\;
    Section 30, lots 1-3, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.

    Containing 7,311.43 acres more or less.

    The Tract has one potentially minable coal seam, the Upper 
Hiawatha. The minable portions of the seam in this area are from 6 to 
14 feet in thickness and average 10.9 feet. This tract contains an 
estimated 65-70 million tons of recoverable high-volatile C bituminous 
coal. The coal quality in the seam on an as received basis is as 
follows: 11,539 Btu/lb., 8.37 percent moisture, 8.78 percent ash, 36.87 
percent volatile matter, 45.98 percent fixed carbon, and 0.5 percent 
sulfur. The public is invited to the hearing to make public or written 
comments on the environmental implications of leasing the proposed 
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 meximum 
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.
    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 in the Salina City Hall located 
at 90 West Main Street in Salina, Utah, at 7:00 p.m. on March 3, 1999. 
Entrance to the building and parking is at the rear entrance. Written 
comments on fair market value and maximum economic recovery must be 
received at the Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office, by March 
17, 1999.

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 an Environmental 
Impact Statement that considers leasing of this tract may be obtained 
by contacting Janette Kaiser, Forest Supervisor at the Manti-LaSal 
National Forest, 599 West Price River Dr. in Price, Utah (801-637-
2817).

    Dated: January 22, 1999.
Douglas M. Koza,
DSD, Natural Resources, Utah.
[FR Doc. 99-1989 Filed 1-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-M