[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 119 (Friday, June 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37017-37018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15605]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[ES-020-03-1320-EL]


Intent To Prepare a Land Use Analysis/Environmental Assessment; 
Alabama

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a land use analysis/environmental 
assessment.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management's Eastern States, Jackson Field 
Office, is preparing a Land Use Analysis/Environmental Assessment (LUA/
EA) to consider leasing Federal coal in response to lease application 
ALES-51589. This notice is issued pursuant to 40 CFR 1501.7, 43 CFR 
1610.2(c) and 43 CFR part 3420. The planning effort will follow the 
procedures set forth in 43 CFR part 1610. As provided at 43 CFR part 
3420, information and data pertaining to the coal deposits or other 
resources, which potentially may be affected by development of the 
coal, are requested. The public is invited to participate in this 
planning process, beginning with the identification of planning issues 
and criteria.
    Coal companies, state and local governments and the general public 
are encouraged to submit information to assist in determining (1) coal 
development potential, and (2) development conflicts with other 
resources.

DATES: Comments will be accepted on or before July 21, 2003.
    Public Participation: This notice initiates the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) public scoping process. The agencies 
will work collaboratively with interested parties to identify the 
management decisions that are best suited to national, regional and 
local needs and concerns. The public is invited to participate in this 
planning process, beginning with the identification of issues and 
planning criteria along with submittal of coal or other resource or 
land use information.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Sid Vogelpohl, Bureau of Land 
Management, 411 Briarwood, Suite 404; Jackson, MS 39206.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sid Vogelpohl, Bureau of Land 
Management, (601) 977-5402.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The coal lease application, filed by 
Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, is located in Fayette County, 
Alabama. The lease application area is approximately 1.5 miles 
southeast of Berry, Alabama. The lease application area, totaling 
2,887.2 acres, is described as follows:
Township 16 South, Range 10 West, Huntsville Meridian
    Section 14: SW\1/4\SW\1/4\,
    Section 15: SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\, NE\1/4\SE\1/4\,
    Section 21: N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\, E\1/2\,
    Section 22: All,
    Section 23: NW\1/4\, W\1/2\SW\1/4\, SW\1/4\SE\1/4\,
    Section 26: NW\1/4\NW\1/4\,
    Section 27: N\1/2\, SE\1/4\,
    Section 28: E\1/2\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SE\1/
4\,
    Section 31: NE\1/4\SE\1/4\,
    Section 33: NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\,
    Section 34: NW\1/4\.

    The applicant proposes to mine the Federal coal in the lease 
application area by underground methods extending from the existing 
North River Mine. The surface estate overlying the lease application 
area is privately owned.
    The BLM has the responsibility to address coal lease applications 
on Federal mineral estate under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as 
amended. The Office of Surface Mining, in coordination with the State 
of Alabama, has responsibility to issue Mine Permits under the Surface 
Mining Control and Reclamation Act.
    Current mining at the North River Mine (Mine Permit P-3222) does 
not include Federal coal. The coal lease applicant has filed for an 
amendment to the existing Permit to extend the Mine into Federal coal 
in the lease application area and associated private coal.
    An interdisciplinary team will prepare the LUA/EA. Preliminary 
issues, subject to change as a result of public input, are (1) 
potential impacts of coal exploration and development on the surface 
and subsurface resources and (2) consideration of restrictions on lease 
rights to protect surface resources.
    Preliminary planning criteria developed to guide the preparation of 
the PA, subject to change as a result of public input, are as follows:
    1. Land use planning and environmental analysis will be conducted 
in accordance with laws, regulations, executive orders and manuals. 
Planning will be conducted for the federal coal mineral estate 
(leaseable mineral estates, such as, coal; are under the administration 
of the BLM).
    2. A mine plan scenario will be prepared for the Federal coal 
resource. The surface estate is privately owned.
    3. Resource data needed to evaluate the impacts of coal exploration 
and mining will be collected.
    4. The planning team will work cooperatively with (a) federal, 
state,

[[Page 37018]]

county and local governments and agencies, (b) tribal governments, (c) 
groups and organizations and (d) individuals. Comments relating to the 
preliminary issues and planning criteria should be submitted in writing 
to the address provided above.
    An individual, business entity, or public body may participate in 
this process by providing information regarding coal or other resource 
information to assist in determining conflicts that may result from 
issuance of the coal lease. For other resource information, 
participants are asked to identify the particular resource value, to 
provide the reason that the resource would conflict with coal 
development and provide a map (minimal scale 1:24,000) showing the 
location of the resource.
    The information available to the interdisciplinary team will be 
considered in addressing the specific resources and uses identified in 
the 20 Unsuitability Criteria listed at 43 CFR part 3461. Screening of 
the federal coal lands in the application area through the Unsuitable 
Criteria will result in a determination as to which lands are (1) 
acceptable for further leasing consideration with standard stipulations 
or (2) acceptable for further leasing consideration with special 
stipulations or (3) are unacceptable for further consideration for 
leasing.
    Lands acceptable for further leasing consideration after screening 
through the Unsuitability Criteria will be further screened in regards 
to other resource values and uses that could be affected by lease 
issuance.
    Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to 
withhold your name or street address from public review or from 
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your written comments. Such requests 
will be honored to the extent allowed by the law. All submissions from 
organizations, businesses and individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses will be 
available for public inspection in their entirety.
    Due to the limited scope of this LUA/EA, a public meeting is not 
scheduled during this scoping stage. However, a public hearing will be 
conducted, in accordance with 43 CFR part 3420 and 1600, upon the 
completion of the LUA/EA. This hearing will be announced through the 
Federal Register and a local newspaper, at least 15 days prior to the 
hearing.

    Dated: May 8, 2003.
Bruce E. Dawson,
Field Manager, Jackson Field Office.
[FR Doc. 03-15605 Filed 6-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-GJ-P