[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8867-8868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2387]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[CO-921-06-5104-EL; COC 67514]


Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment and Public 
Hearing for Coal Lease Application COC 67514. Colorado

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Twenty Mile Coal Company Coal 
Lease By Application COC 67514 Environmental Assessment and Federal 
Coal Notice of Public Hearing, and Request for Environmental 
Assessment, Maximum Economic Recovery Report, and Fair Market Value 
Comments.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3425.4, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Colorado State Office, Lakewood, 
Colorado, hereby gives notice that an Environmental Assessment (EA) is 
available and a public hearing will be held to lease Federal coal. The 
EA analyzes and discloses direct, indirect, and cumulative 
environmental impacts of issuing a Federal coal lease competitively for 
200.36 acres in Routt County, Colorado. The purpose of the public 
hearing is to solicit comments from the public on (1) The proposal to 
issue a Federal coal lease; (2) the proposed competitive lease sale; 
(3) the Fair Market Value (FMV) of the Federal coal; and (4) Maximum 
Economic Recovery (MER) of the Federal coal included in the Federal 
tract.

DATES: Written comments should be received no later than April 13, 
2006. The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 30, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to the Little Snake 
Field Office Manager, Little Snake Field Office, 455 Emerson Street, 
Craig, Colorado 81625 where copies of the EA are available for 
inspection or copies provided upon request. The public hearing will be 
held in the Routt County Commissioners Hearing Room, located in the 
Annex Building behind the Routt County Courthouse, at 136-6th St., 
Suite 206, Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Field Office Manager, Little Snake 
Field Office at the address above, or by telephone at 970-826-5000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 14, 2004 Twenty Mile Coal 
Company applied for a Federal coal lease. The Federal tract was 
assigned case number COC 67514. The following lands are contained in 
the LBA:

T. 5 N., R. 86 W., 6th P.M.
    sec. 5, lot 4, SW\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, and NW\1/4\SE\1/
4\.

    Containing approximately 200.36 acres in Routt County, Colorado.

    The EA analyzes environmental impacts that could result from 
leasing Federal coal and several alternatives. The alternatives 
considered are the no action alternative, and the proposed alternative 
to lease the coal. In accordance with Federal coal management 
regulations 43 CFR 3422 and 3425, not less than 30 days prior to the 
publication of a notice of sale, the Secretary shall solicit public 
comments on FMV appraisal and MER. BLM hereby gives notice that a 
public hearing will be held on Thursday, March 30, 2006, at 7 p.m., at 
the Routt County Commissioners Hearing Room at the address given above. 
The coal resource

[[Page 8868]]

to be offered is limited to coal recoverable by underground mining 
methods. One purpose of the hearing is to obtain public comments on the 
EA 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.
    In addition, the public is invited to submit written comments 
concerning the MER and FMV of the coal resource. Public comments will 
be utilized in establishing FMV 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 in the lease 
area.
    Written requests to testify orally at the March 30, 2006, public 
hearing should be received at the Little Snake Field Office prior to 
the close of business March 30, 2006. Those who indicate they wish to 
testify when they register at the hearing may have an opportunity if 
time is available.
    As provided by 43 CFR 3422.1(a), proprietary data marked as 
confidential may be provided 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 FMV and MER, except 
those portions identified as proprietary and meeting exemptions stated 
in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), will be available for public 
inspection at the BLM office noted above. If you wish to withhold your 
name or address from public review or from disclosure under the FOIA, 
you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written 
comments. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by the 
FOIA. All submissions from organizations, businesses and individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses will be available for public inspection in its entirety. 
Written comments on the EA, MER, and FMV should be sent to the Little 
Snake Field Office at the above address prior to the close of business 
on April 13, 2006, the end of the 30 day public comment period.
    Substantive comments, whether written or oral, will receive equal 
consideration prior to any lease offering. A copy of the EA, 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 FOIA, will be available for public inspection after June 
1, 2006, at the Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield, Lakewood, 
Colorado, 80215.

    December 27, 2005.
Karen Zurek,
Solid Minerals Staff, Division of Energy, Lands and Minerals.
[FR Doc. E6-2387 Filed 2-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-JB-P