[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 44 (Thursday, March 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 10749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5251]



[[Page 10749]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Coteau Coal Lease Application

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
for coal lease application and notice of scoping.

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SUMMARY: The Coteau Properties Company applied for a lease of Federal 
coal reserves at the Freedom Mine, Mercer County, North Dakota. The 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will analyze the proposed action in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). At least 
two alternatives will be considered: (a) A no-action alternative in 
which federal coal reserves would not be available for lease, and (b) 
an alternative in which all or portions of the federal coal reserves 
would be made available for lease.
    After an initial review, BLM has determined that an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) will be prepared to disclose effects that may 
result from strip mining. A public scoping period will be held to allow 
interested parties to submit comments or information relevant to 
preparation of the EIS.

DATES: Publication of this notice will initiate the public scoping 
comment process, which will end after 30 days. Comments on issues may 
be submitted in writing to BLM at the address listed below.
    Public Participation: A goal of public involvement is to identify 
issues pertinent to the proposal. The BLM invites written comments and 
suggestions on this action, particularly in terms of issues and 
development of alternatives. People may visit with BLM officials at any 
time during the analysis.

ADDRESSES: Please send comments, concerns or questions to Field Office 
Manager, North Dakota Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 2933 3rd 
Avenue West, Dickinson, ND 58601. For further information and/or to 
have your name added to our mailing list, please write to the address 
above, or contact Lee Jefferis (701-227-7713), or Mary Ramsey (701-227-
7706) by telephone.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 18, 2002, The Coteau Properties 
Company filed an application with BLM to lease 5, 571 acres of Federal 
coal at the following locations:

T. 144 N., R. 88 W., 5th P.M.

Sec. 2: Lots 3, 4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\
Sec. 4: Lots 1, 2, S\1/2\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\
Sec. 6: All
Sec. 8: N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\

T. 144 N., R 89 W., 5th P.M.

Sec. 12: E\1/2\

T. 145 N., R. 88 W., 5th P.M.

Sec. 4: Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, S\1/2\N\1/2\, SE\1/4\, S\1/2\SW\1/4\
Sec. 10: N\1/2\
Sec. 14: All
Sec. 22: All
Sec. 26: N\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\,W\1/2\
Sec. 28: E\1/2\NE\1/4\, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\
Sec. 34: N\1/2\N\1/2\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\, E\1/2\SE\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/
4\, SW\1/4\.

    The tracts include an estimated 90 million tons of recoverable 
coal.

    The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) will 
be a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS. If Federal lands 
are leased, they must be incorporated into the existing mine plan 
before Federal coal reserves can be mined. OSM is responsible for 
recommending approval, approval with conditions, or disapproval of the 
revised mine plan to the Secretary of the Interior.
    The primary issue raised during our initial review of the 
application involves American Indian Traditional/Cultural features. 
Mining will result in impacts to cultural resources. Based on cultural 
resource inventories, 200 archeological sites with 1,700 stone features 
have been identified. Forty of these sites have been determined 
eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. 
Native American tribes have voiced concerns about the cumulative 
effects of mining on these cultural resources.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public inspection at the BLM North Dakota Field 
Office. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish 
to withhold your name or address from public review or from disclosure 
under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this at the 
beginning of your written comment. All submissions from organizations 
or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be 
made available for public inspection in their entirety.

    Dated: February 28, 2003.
Douglas Burger,
Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 03-5251 Filed 3-5-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-$$-P