[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 68 (Monday, April 11, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18422-18423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7116]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-921-05-1320-EL; COC 67232]


Notice of Public Hearing and Request for Comments on the 
Environmental Impact Statement, Maximum Economic Recovery Report, and 
Fair Market Value; Application for Competitive Coal Lease COC 67232; 
Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Office, Lakewood, 
Colorado, hereby gives notice that a public hearing will be held to 
receive comments on the environmental impact statement, maximum 
economic recovery, and fair market value of federal coal to be offered. 
An application for coal lease was filed by Ark Land Company. The Bureau 
of Land Management offers for competitive lease 1,517.13 acres of 
Federal coal in Gunnison County, Colorado, Gunnison National Forest.

DATES: The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 27, 
2005. Written comments should be received no later than May 17, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held in the Paonia Town Hall 
located at 214 Grand Avenue, Paonia, Colorado. Written comments should 
be addressed to the Uncompahgre Field Office Manager, Uncompahgre Field 
Office, 2505 South Townsend Avenue, Montrose, Colorado 81401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Field Office Manager, Uncompahgre 
Field Office at the address above, or by telephone at 970-240-5300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State 
Office, Lakewood, Colorado, hereby gives notice that a public hearing 
will be held on Wednesday, April 27, 2005, at 7 p.m., at the Paonia 
Town Hall at the address given above.
    An application for coal lease was filed by Ark Land Company. The 
Bureau of Land Management offers for competitive lease federal coal in 
the lands outside established coal production regions described as:

T. 13 S., R. 90 W., 6th P.M.

[[Page 18423]]

    sec. 35, lots 5 to 7, inclusive, and lots 9 to 16, inclusive, 
less and except land in coal leases C-1362 and COC 56447, as 
modified;
    sec. 36, W\1/2\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\, and W\1/2\SW\1/4\, less and 
except land in coal lease COC 56447, as modified.
T. 14 S., R. 90 W., 6th P.M.
    sec. 1, lots 3, 4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, W\1/2\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, 
and SW\1/4\SE\1/4\;
    sec. 2, lots 1 to 4, inclusive, S\1/2\N\1/2\, and S\1/2\;
    sec. 11, N\1/2\N\1/2\;
    sec. 12, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, and NW\1/4\NE\1/4\.
    Containing approximately 1,517.13 acres.

    The coal resource to be offered is limited to coal recoverable by 
underground mining methods.
    The purpose of the hearing is to obtain public comments on the 
environmental assessment and on the following items:
    (1) The method of mining to be employed to obtain maximum economic 
recovery of the coal, (2) The impact that mining the coal in the 
proposed leasehold may have on the area, and
    (3) The methods of determining the fair market value of the coal to 
be offered.
    Written requests to testify orally at the April 27, 2005, public 
hearing should be received at the Uncompahgre Field Office prior to the 
close of business April 27, 2005.
    Those who indicate they wish to testify when they register at the 
hearing may have an opportunity if time is available.
    In addition, the public is invited to submit written comments 
concerning the fair market value and maximum economic recovery of the 
coal resource. Public comments will be utilized in establishing fair 
market value for the coal resource in the described lands. Comments 
should address specific factors related to fair market value including, 
but not limited to:
    1. The quality and quantity of the coal resource.
    2. The price that the mined coal would bring in the market place.
    3. The cost of producing the coal.
    4. The interest rate at which anticipated income streams would be 
discounted.
    5. Depreciation and other accounting factors.
    6. The mining method or methods which would achieve maximum 
economic recovery of the coal.
    7. Documented information on the terms and conditions of recent and 
similar coal land transactions in the lease area, and
    8. Any comparable sales data of similar coal lands.
    If any information submitted as comments are considered to be 
proprietary by the commenter, the information should be labeled as such 
and stated in the first page of the submission. Written comments on the 
environmental impact statement, maximum economic recovery, and fair 
market value should be sent to the Uncompahgre Field Office at the 
above address prior to the close of business on May 17, 2005, the end 
of the 30 day public comment period. Substantive comments, whether 
written or oral, will receive equal consideration prior to any lease 
offering. The draft of the Environmental Impact Statement and Maximum 
Economic Recovery Report are available from the Uncompahgre Field 
Office upon request.
    A copy of the draft Environmental Impact Statement, the Maximum 
Economic Recovery Report, the case file, and the comments submitted by 
the public, except those portions identified as proprietary by the 
commenter and meeting exemptions stated in the Freedom of Information 
Act, will be available for public inspection after July 18, 2005, at 
the Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield, Lakewood, Colorado, 80215.

    Dated: February 7, 2005.
Karen Zurek,
Solid Minerals Staff, Division of Energy, Lands and Minerals.
[FR Doc. 05-7116 Filed 4-8-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P