[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 8708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04068]



[[Page 8708]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

[S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000 189S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX064A00 
18XS501520]


Notice To Reopen the Public Comment Period on the Western Energy 
Company's Rosebud Mine Area F Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), 
Interior.

ACTION: Reopening and extension of the public comment period.

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SUMMARY: OSMRE and the co-lead agency on the Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS), Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), are 
allowing additional time for the public to submit comments on the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the Western Energy 
Company's Rosebud Mine Area F (Project). We are reopening the comment 
period and will accept comments received from February 20, 2018 to 
March 5, 2018.

DATES: To ensure consideration in developing the EIS, we must receive 
your electronic or written comments on or before March 5, 2018.

ADDRESSES: The Draft EIS is available for review at: https://www.wrcc.osmre.gov/initiatives/westernEnergy/documentLibrary.shtm. 
Paper and computer compact disk (CD) copies of the Draft EIS are 
available for review at the OSMRE Western Region Office, 1999 Broadway 
Street, Suite 3320, Denver, Colorado 80202. In addition, a paper and CD 
copy of the Draft EIS is available for review at each of the following 
locations:

    Rosebud County Library, 201 North 9th Avenue, Forsyth, MT 59327, 
Between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through 
Thursday; 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday; 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 
Saturday (Closed Sunday).

    Montana DEQ Headquarters (Lee Metcalf Building), 1520 East 6th 
Avenue, Helena, MT 59620, Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 
p.m. Monday through Friday (Closed Saturday and Sunday).

    BLM Miles City Field Office, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT 
59301, Between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through 
Friday (Closed Saturday and Sunday).

    BLM State Office, Billings, MT, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, 
MT 59101, Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday 
through Friday (Closed Saturday and Sunday).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Logan Sholar, OSMRE Project 
Coordinator; Telephone: 303-293-5036; Address: 1999 Broadway Street, 
Suite 3320, Denver, Colorado 80202-3050; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 3, 2018 (83 FR 393), we published 
a notice of availability (NOA) for the Draft EIS for the Western Energy 
Company's Rosebud Mine Area F (Project), and on January 5, 2018, the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its NOA (83 FR 
678). The NOA requested public comments on the content of the Draft 
EIS. In OSMRE's NOA, we established that the comment period would close 
45 days after the date of publication of the EPA's NOA. The closing 
date of the public comment period for the NOA, which was published on 
January 5, 2018, was February 20, 2018. In response to requests for an 
extension of the comment period, we are reopening the comment period 
until March 5, 2018. Comments received between February 20, 2018, and 
March 5, 2018, will be accepted and reviewed.
    The January 3, 2018, NOA identified the locations of repositories 
where the Draft EIS could be reviewed and provided instructions for 
submitting comments. To summarize, the Draft EIS analyzed the impacts 
of continued operations at the Rosebud Mine from permitting and 
developing a new surface mine permit area, known as permit Area F. 
Western Energy submitted a permit application to DEQ for the proposed 
6,746-acre permit Area F (also referred to as the project area) at the 
Rosebud Mine, which is an existing 25,455-acre surface coal mine 
annually producing 8.0 to 10.25 million tons of low-sulfur 
subbituminous coal. If DEQ approves the permit and a Federal mining 
plan for the Project is approved as proposed, at the current rate of 
production, the operational life of the Rosebud Mine would be extended 
by 8 years. Mining operations in the project area, which would commence 
after all permits and approvals have been secured and a reclamation and 
performance bond has been posted, would last 19 years. Western Energy 
estimates that 70.8 million tons of recoverable coal reserves exist in 
the project area and would be removed during the 19-year operations 
period. As with other permit areas of the Rosebud Mine, all coal would 
be combusted locally at the Colstrip and Rosebud Power Plants.
    Public Comment Procedures: In accordance with the Council on 
Environmental Quality's regulations for implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Interior's NEPA regulations, OSMRE 
solicits public comments on the Draft EIS. Comments on the Draft EIS 
may be submitted in writing or by email. At the top of your letter or 
in the subject line of your message indicate that the comments are 
``Western Energy Area F Draft EIS Comments.''
    You are invited to mail your comments on the Draft EIS to: ATTN: 
Western Energy Area F EIS C/O: Nicole Bauman, ERO Resources 
Corporation, 1842 Clarkson Street, Denver, CO 80218. You may also 
submit your comments electronically to http://svc.mt.ogv/deq/publiccomment or by email to the following email address: [email protected]. Be specific in your comments and 
indicate the chapter, page, paragraph, and sentence that your comment 
applies to.
    All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses, will be available for public review to the 
extent consistent with applicable law.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be publicly available at any time. While you can ask 
us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information 
from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. 
Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; 
however, those who submit anonymous comments may not have standing to 
appeal the subsequent decision.
    If you would like to be placed on the mailing list to receive 
future information, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.1.

    Dated: February 22, 2018.
Glenda H. Owens,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 2018-04068 Filed 2-27-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-P