81 FR 90380 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Public Meetings for a Federal Coal Lease by Application (MTM 105485), Application To Modify Federal Coal Lease (MTM 94378), and Applications To Amend Land Use Permit (MTM 96659), and Land Use Lease (MTM 74913), Big Horn County, MT
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 240 (December 14, 2016)
Bureau of Land Management
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 240 (December 14, 2016)
| Page Range | 90380-90383 | |
| FR Document | 2016-29969 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 14, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 90380-90383] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-29969] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [MO #4500069731, 14X.LLMTC02000.L51100000.GA0000.LVEME14CE500] Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Public Meetings for a Federal Coal Lease by Application (MTM 105485), Application To Modify Federal Coal Lease (MTM 94378), and Applications To Amend Land Use Permit (MTM 96659), and Land Use Lease (MTM 74913), Big Horn County, MT AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations, the United States Department of the Interior, BLM Miles City Field Office is publishing this notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential impacts of four proposed actions related to coal mining at the Spring Creek Mine in Big Horn County, Montana. The proposed actions involve the potential sale of two tracts of Federal coal through a Lease-By- Application (LBA) and a lease modification application (LMA). Both applications cover proposed additions to an existing Federal coal lease at the Spring Creak Mine. Related to these leasing requests, the EIS will also evaluate proposed amendments to an existing land use permit to maintain access to mine monitoring and gauging stations and an existing land use lease to provide room for the placement of overburden and infrastructure. The EIS will be called the Spring Creek Coal EIS. This notice initiates the public scoping process for the Spring Creek Coal EIS. DATES: Public scoping meetings to provide the public with an opportunity to review the proposals and gain understanding of the coal leasing process will be held by the BLM. The dates and locations of any scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media outlets and through the Miles City BLM Web site at: www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/miles_city_field_office.html. At the meetings, the public is invited to submit comments and resource information, plus identify issues or concerns to be considered in the environmental analysis. The BLM can best use public input if comments and resource information are submitted in writing by February 13, 2017. We will provide additional opportunities for public participation upon publication of the Draft EIS. ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments or concerns to the BLM Miles City Field Office, Attn: Irma Nansel, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT 59301. Written comments or resource information may also be hand delivered to the BLM Miles City Field Office. Comments may be sent electronically to [email protected]. For electronic submission, please include ``Spring Creek Coal EIS/Irma Nansel'' in the subject line. Members of the public may examine documents pertinent to this proposal by visiting the Miles City Field Office during its business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Irma Nansel, Planning and Environmental Coordinator; telephone 406-233-3653. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Spring Creek Coal LLC (SCC) submitted four applications to the BLM, Montana State Office in 2012 and 2013. The four applications are as follows: A. On February 15, 2013, SCC submitted LBA MTM 105485 for the Spring Creek Northwest and Spring Creek Southeast tracts. The LBA encompasses approximately 1,602.57 acres (containing approximately 198.2 million mineable tons of coal) adjacent to the Spring Creek Mine. Since decertification of the Powder River Federal Coal Region as a Federal coal production region by the Powder River Regional Coal Team (PRRCT) in 1990, leasing is permitted to take place under the existing regulations on an application basis, in accordance with 43 CFR 3425.1- 5. The PRRCT reviewed the proposed Spring Creek Northwest and Spring Creek Southeast tracts in the application and recommended that the Montana State Office begin processing the application. This LBA consists of the following acreage: [[Page 90381]] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Acres ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Principal Meridian, Montana ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Township 8 South, Range 39 East: Sec. 8........................ S\1/2\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\ 20 S\1/2\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\ 20 SW\1/4\SE\1/4\...... 40 SE\1/4\SE\1/4\...... 40 Sec. 9........................ S\1/2\NW\1/4\SW\1/4\ 20 SW\1/4\ SW\1/4\..... 40 SE\1/4\SW\1/4\...... 40 Sec. 17....................... NE\1/4\NE\1/4\...... 40 NW\1/4\NE\1/4\...... 40 N\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\ 20 N\1/2\SE\1/4\NE\1/4\ 20 Sec. 35....................... NE\1/4\............. 160 SE\1/4\............. 160 Township 9 South, Range 39 East: Sec. 1........................ Lot 1............... 40.20 Lot 2............... 40.58 Lot 3............... 40.39 Lot 4............... 39.92 NW\1/4\NE\1/4\...... 40 SW\1/4\NE\1/4\...... 40 NW\1/4\............. 160 E\1/2\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\ 20 E\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/4\ 20 Sec. 2........................ NE\1/4\............. 160 Township 9 South, Range 40 East: Sec. 6........................ Lot 5............... 37.12 Lot 6............... 37.16 Lot 7............... 37.20 S\1/2\SE\1/4\NW\1/4\ 20 NE\1/4\SW\1/4\...... 40 SE\1/4\SW\1/4\...... 40 S\1/2\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\ 20 NW\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/ 10 4\. 20 S\1/2\NW\1/4\SE\1/4\ SW\1/4\SE\1/4\...... 40 SE\1/4\SE\1/4\...... 40 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ B. On December 20, 2012, SCC applied for a lease modification to Federal coal lease MTM 94378, for the Spring Creek Northeast tract, consisting of about 170 acres (containing approximately 7.9 million mineable tons of coal) adjacent to the Spring Creek Mine. On May 9, 2016, the application was modified to reduce the tract acreage to 150 acres. The tract reserve value did not change as a result of the acreage reduction. If approved, the acreage covered by the LMA would be added to the existing lease and is listed below. Consistent with applicable statutory authority, the proposed LMA acreage does not exceed the original lease acreage of (1,117.70 acres): ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Acres ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Principal Meridian, Montana ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Township 8 South, Range 39 East: Sec. 13....................... NW\1/4\SW\1/4\NE\1/ 10 4\. 10 SW\1/4\SW\1/4\NE\1/ 10 4\. SE\1/4\SW\1/4\NE\1/ 4\. SW\1/4\NE\1/4\NW\1/ 10 4\. 10 SE\1/4\NE\1/4\NW\1/ 10 4\. NE\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/ 4\. NW\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/ 10 4\. 10 SE\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/ 10 4\. NE\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/ 4\. NW\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/ 10 4\. 10 SE\1/4\SE\1/4\NW\1/ 10 4\. NW\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/ 4\. SW\1/4\NE\1/4\SE\1/ 10 4\. 10 NE\1/4\NW\1/4\SE\1/ 4\. Sec. 14....................... NE\1/4\NE\1/4\NE\1/ 10 4\. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [[Page 90382]] C. On December 23, 2013, SCC submitted an application to amend land use permit (LUP) MTM 96659, adding 175 acres to the permit and removing 320 acres currently included within the permit that overlap the Spring Creek Southeast LBA tract. The LUP amendment would maintain access to mine monitoring areas and gauging stations by utilizing existing two- track roads and trails. The LUP use will not exceed 3 years, in accordance with 43 CFR 2920.1-1(b), and will not cause appreciable damage or disturbance to the public lands, their resources or improvements in accordance with 43 CFR 2920.2-2(a). The acreage to be added to LUP MTM 96659 are: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Acres ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Principal Meridian, Montana ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Township 8 South, Range 39 East: Sec. 20....................... S\1/2\NE\1/4\....... 80 Sec. 22....................... SW\1/4\SW\1/4\NE\1/ 10 4\. 5 S\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/ 4\NE\1/4\. Sec. 27....................... NE\1/4\SW\1/4\...... 40 Township 9 South, Range 40 East: Sec. 7........................ S\1/2\SW\1/4\SW\1/ 5 4\NE\1/4\. 5 S\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/ 4\NE\1/4\. S\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/ 5 4\NE\1/4\. 5 S\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/ 4\NE\1/4\. Sec. 8........................ S\1/2\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\ 20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Acres to be removed from LUP MTM 96659 are: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Acres ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Township 8 South, Range 39 East: Sec. 35....................... E\1/2\.............. 320 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ D. On December 23, 2013, SCC submitted an application in accordance with 43 CFR 2920.2-3 to amend noncompetitive land use lease (LUL) MTM 74913, adding 255 acres to the existing lease and removing approximately 195 acres that overlap the Spring Creek Southeast LBA tract. A Notice of Realty Action was published in the Federal Register in parallel with this notice. The lands added to LUL MTM 74913 are as follows: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Acres ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Principal Meridian, Montana ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Township 8 South, Range 39 East: Sec. 22....................... N\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\ 20 N\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/ 5 4\NE\1/4\. SE\1/4\SE\1/4\NE\1/ 10 4\. 20 W\1/2\SE\1/4\NE\1/4\ Township 9 South, Range 39 East: Sec. 1........................ SE\1/4\SW\1/4\...... 40 Township 9 South, Range 40 East: Sec. 7........................ \1/2\NE\1/4\........ 80 N\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\ 20 N\1/2\SW\1/4\NE\1/4\ 20 N\1/2\SW\1/4\SE\1/ 5 4\NE\1/4\. 5 N\1/2\SE\1/4\SE\1/ 4\NE\1/4\. N\1/2\SE\1/4\SW\1/ 5 4\NE\1/4\. 5 N\1/2\SW\1/4\SW\1/ 4\NE\1/4\. Sec. 8........................ N\1/2\SW\1/4\NW\1/4\ 20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Acres to be removed from LUL MTM 74913 are: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Acres ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Township 8 South, Range 39 East: Sec. 35....................... NE\1/4\NE\1/4\...... 40 SE\1/4\NE\1/4\...... 40 E\1/2\NW\1/4\NE\1/4\ 20 E\1/2\NW\1/4\NW\1/ 5 4\NE\1/4\. 2.5 NW\1/4\NW\1/4\NW\1/ 5 4\NE\1/4\. E\1/2\SW\1/4\NW\1/ 4\NE\1/4\. [[Page 90383]] NE\1/4\SW\1/4\NE\1/ 10 4\. 2.5 NE\1/4\SE\1/4\SW\1/ 20 4\NE\1/4\. E\1/2\NE\1/4\SE\1/4\ E\1/2\NW\1/4\NE\1/ 5 4\SE\1/4\. 10 NE\1/4\SE\1/4\SE\1/ 4\. Township 9 South, Range 40 East: Sec. 6........................ Lot 5............... 34.78 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Spring Creek Mine operates under an existing approved surface mining permit from the State of Montana. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the OSMRE will be cooperating agencies in the preparation of the Spring Creek Coal EIS. Other cooperating agencies may be identified during the scoping process. The actions announced by this Notice are consistent with Secretarial Order (S.O.) 3338, which allows preparatory work, including National Environmental Policy Act and other related analyses, on already-pending applications to continue while the BLM's programmatic review of the Federal coal program is pending. With respect to the sale of the coal covered by the leasing requests, unless it is shown that one of the exceptions or exclusions to S.O. 3338 applies, the BLM will not make a final leasing decision on the proposed LBA until the programmatic review has concluded. The BLM has confirmed that the LMA is not subject to S.O. 3338's leasing pause because the lease tract is less than 160 acres. As result, issuane of the LMA can occur prior to the finalization of the programmatic review. If the proposed tracts were to be leased to the applicant, the new lease and the modifications to the existing coal lease, LUP, and LUL, must be incorporated into the existing approved mining and reclamation plans for the mine. Before this can occur, the Secretary of the Interior must approve the revised Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) mining plan for the mine in which the tracts will be included. The OSMRE is the Federal agency that is responsible for recommending approval, approval with conditions, or disapproval of the revised MLA mining plan to the Secretary of the Interior, which is why it is a cooperator in this EIS. In order to help facilitate its analysis, the BLM is providing interested parties the opportunity to submit comments and relevant information to help the BLM identify issues to be considered in preparing the Spring Creek Coal EIS. Issues that have been identified in analyzing the impacts of previous Federal coal-leasing actions in the Montana Powder River Basin (PRB) include: (1) The need for resolution of potential conflicts between existing and proposed oil and gas development and coal mining on the tracts proposed for coal leasing; (2) Potential impacts to big game herds and hunting, Greater Sage-Grouse, listed threatened and endangered species, and air quality, including greenhouse gas emissions; (3) The need to consider the cumulative impacts of coal leasing decisions combined with other existing and proposed development in the Montana PRB; and (4) Potential site-specific and cumulative impacts on air and water quality. 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 made public at any time. While you may request to us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 43 CFR 3425.3, and 3425.4. Diane M. Friez, District Manager. [FR Doc. 2016-29969 Filed 12-13-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P
![90380 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 240 / Wednesday, December 14, 2016 / Notices
Trust and Casino Project’’ as the subject DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR input if comments and resource
of your email. information are submitted in writing by
Locations Where the FEIS Is Available Bureau of Land Management February 13, 2017. We will provide
for Review: The FEIS is available for [MO #4500069731, 14X.LLMTC02000. additional opportunities for public
review during regular business hours at L51100000.GA0000.LVEME14CE500] participation upon publication of the
the BIA Pacific Regional Office and the Draft EIS.
Galt and Elk Grove Branches of the Notice of Intent To Prepare an ADDRESSES: Please submit written
Sacramento Public Library at the Environmental Impact Statement and comments or concerns to the BLM Miles
addresses noted above in the ADDRESSES Notice of Public Meetings for a Federal City Field Office, Attn: Irma Nansel, 111
section of this notice. The FEIS is also Coal Lease by Application (MTM Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT 59301.
available online at http:// 105485), Application To Modify Federal Written comments or resource
www.wiltoneis.com. Coal Lease (MTM 94378), and information may also be hand delivered
To obtain a compact disc copy of the Applications To Amend Land Use to the BLM Miles City Field Office.
FEIS, please provide your name and Permit (MTM 96659), and Land Use Comments may be sent electronically to
address in writing or by voicemail to Lease (MTM 74913), Big Horn County, BLM_MT_MCFO_SCCEIS@blm.gov. For
Mr. John Rydzik, Bureau of Indian MT electronic submission, please include
Affairs, at the address or phone number ‘‘Spring Creek Coal EIS/Irma Nansel’’ in
above in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Interior. the subject line. Members of the public
CONTACT section of this notice. may examine documents pertinent to
Individual paper copies of the DEIS will ACTION: Notice.
this proposal by visiting the Miles City
be provided upon payment of applicable Field Office during its business hours
SUMMARY: In accordance with Bureau of
printing expenses by the requestor for (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday
Land Management (BLM) regulations,
the number of copies requested. through Friday, except holidays.
the United States Department of the
Public Comment Availability: Interior, BLM Miles City Field Office is FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Irma
Comments, including names and publishing this notice of intent to Nansel, Planning and Environmental
addresses of respondents, will be prepare an environmental impact Coordinator; telephone 406–233–3653.
available for public review during statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential Persons who use a telecommunications
regular business hours at the BIA impacts of four proposed actions related device for the deaf (TDD) may call the
mailing address shown in the to coal mining at the Spring Creek Mine Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–
ADDRESSES section of this notice. Before 877–8339 to contact the above
in Big Horn County, Montana. The
including your address, telephone proposed actions involve the potential individual during normal business
number, email address, or other sale of two tracts of Federal coal through hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a
personal identifying information in your a Lease-By-Application (LBA) and a day, seven days a week, to leave a
comment, you should be aware that lease modification application (LMA). message or question with the above
your entire comment—including your Both applications cover proposed individual. You will receive a reply
personal identifying information—may additions to an existing Federal coal during normal business hours.
be made publicly available at any time. lease at the Spring Creak Mine. Related SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Spring
While you can ask us in your comment to these leasing requests, the EIS will
to withhold your personal identifying Creek Coal LLC (SCC) submitted four
also evaluate proposed amendments to applications to the BLM, Montana State
information from public review, we an existing land use permit to maintain
cannot guarantee that we will be able to Office in 2012 and 2013. The four
access to mine monitoring and gauging applications are as follows:
do so. stations and an existing land use lease
Authority: This notice is published A. On February 15, 2013, SCC
to provide room for the placement of submitted LBA MTM 105485 for the
pursuant to Sections 1503.1 and overburden and infrastructure. The EIS
1506.6(b) of the Council of Spring Creek Northwest and Spring
will be called the Spring Creek Coal EIS. Creek Southeast tracts. The LBA
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 This notice initiates the public scoping
CFR parts 1500 through 1508) encompasses approximately 1,602.57
process for the Spring Creek Coal EIS. acres (containing approximately 198.2
implementing the procedural
requirements of the NEPA (42 U.S.C. DATES: Public scoping meetings to million mineable tons of coal) adjacent
4321, et seq.), the Department of the provide the public with an opportunity to the Spring Creek Mine. Since
Interior NEPA Regulations (43 CFR part to review the proposals and gain decertification of the Powder River
46), and is in the exercise of authority understanding of the coal leasing Federal Coal Region as a Federal coal
delegated to the Assistant Secretary— process will be held by the BLM. The production region by the Powder River
Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8. This notice dates and locations of any scoping Regional Coal Team (PRRCT) in 1990,
is also published in accordance with meetings will be announced at least 15 leasing is permitted to take place under
Federal general conformity regulations days in advance through local media the existing regulations on an
(40 CFR part 93, subpart B). outlets and through the Miles City BLM application basis, in accordance with 43
Web site at: www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/ CFR 3425.1–5. The PRRCT reviewed the
Dated: December 8, 2016. miles_city_field_office.html. At the proposed Spring Creek Northwest and
Lawrence S. Roberts, meetings, the public is invited to submit Spring Creek Southeast tracts in the
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary—Indian comments and resource information, application and recommended that the
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Affairs. plus identify issues or concerns to be Montana State Office begin processing
[FR Doc. 2016–29991 Filed 12–13–16; 8:45 am] considered in the environmental the application. This LBA consists of
BILLING CODE 4337–15–P analysis. The BLM can best use public the following acreage:
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![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 240 / Wednesday, December 14, 2016 / Notices 90383
Acres
NE ⁄ SW ⁄ NE ⁄ .........................................................................
14 14 14 10
NE1⁄4SE1⁄4SW1⁄4NE1⁄4 ................................................................ 2.5
E1⁄2NE1⁄4SE1⁄4 ............................................................................ 20
E1⁄2NW1⁄4NE1⁄4SE1⁄4 ................................................................... 5
NE1⁄4SE1⁄4SE1⁄4 .......................................................................... 10
Township 9 South, Range 40 East:
Sec. 6 .................................................................................. Lot 5 ........................................................................................... 34.78
The Spring Creek Mine operates Montana Powder River Basin (PRB) amended, for not less than the appraised
under an existing approved surface include: (1) The need for resolution of fair market value.
mining permit from the State of potential conflicts between existing and DATES: Interested parties may submit
Montana. The Montana Department of proposed oil and gas development and comments on or before January 30,
Environmental Quality, the Montana coal mining on the tracts proposed for 2017.
Department of Natural Resources and coal leasing; (2) Potential impacts to big
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Conservation, and the OSMRE will be game herds and hunting, Greater Sage-
the Field Manager, Miles City Field
cooperating agencies in the preparation Grouse, listed threatened and
Office, Bureau of Land Management,
of the Spring Creek Coal EIS. Other endangered species, and air quality,
111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT
cooperating agencies may be identified including greenhouse gas emissions; (3)
59301.
during the scoping process. The need to consider the cumulative
The actions announced by this Notice impacts of coal leasing decisions FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beth
are consistent with Secretarial Order combined with other existing and Klempel, BLM Miles City Field Office,
(S.O.) 3338, which allows preparatory proposed development in the Montana 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT
work, including National Environmental PRB; and (4) Potential site-specific and 59301, telephone 406–233–2800, or
Policy Act and other related analyses, cumulative impacts on air and water email bklempel@blm.gov. Persons who
on already-pending applications to quality. use a telecommunications device for the
continue while the BLM’s programmatic Before including your address, phone deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
review of the Federal coal program is number, email address, or other Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
pending. With respect to the sale of the personal identifying information in your 800–877–8339 to contact Ms. Klempel
coal covered by the leasing requests, comment, you should be aware that during normal business hours. The FIRS
unless it is shown that one of the your entire comment—including your is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a
exceptions or exclusions to S.O. 3338 personal identifying information—may week, to leave a message or question for
applies, the BLM will not make a final be made public at any time. While you Ms. Klempel. You will receive a reply
leasing decision on the proposed LBA may request to us in your comment to during normal business hours. Normal
until the programmatic review has withhold your personal identifying business hours are 7:45 a.m. to 4:30
concluded. The BLM has confirmed that information from public review, we p.m., Monday through Friday, except for
the LMA is not subject to S.O. 3338’s cannot guarantee that we will be able to Federal holidays.
leasing pause because the lease tract is do so. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
less than 160 acres. As result, issuane of Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 43 CFR 3425.3, following described lands include the
the LMA can occur prior to the and 3425.4. proposed LUL amendment and have
finalization of the programmatic review. been determined as suitable for leasing
If the proposed tracts were to be Diane M. Friez,
under Section 302 of FLPMA (43 U.S.C.
leased to the applicant, the new lease District Manager.
1732):
and the modifications to the existing [FR Doc. 2016–29969 Filed 12–13–16; 8:45 am]
coal lease, LUP, and LUL, must be BILLING CODE 4310–DN–P Principal Meridian, Montana
incorporated into the existing approved T. 8 S., R. 39 E.,
mining and reclamation plans for the Sec. 22, N1⁄2SW1⁄4NE1⁄4,
mine. Before this can occur, the DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR N1⁄2SE1⁄4SW1⁄4NE1⁄4, W1⁄2SE1⁄4NE1⁄4, and
Secretary of the Interior must approve SE1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4.
the revised Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) Bureau of Land Management T. 9 S., R. 39 E.,
Sec. 1, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4.
mining plan for the mine in which the [LLMTC02200–L14300000–EQ0000; MTM– T. 9 S., R. 40 E.,
tracts will be included. The OSMRE is 74913] Sec. 7, N1⁄2NE1⁄4, N1⁄2SW1⁄4NE1⁄4,
the Federal agency that is responsible N1⁄2SE1⁄4NE1⁄4, N1⁄2SW1⁄4 SW1⁄4NE 1⁄4,
for recommending approval, approval Notice of Realty Action: Proposed N1⁄2SE1⁄4SW1⁄4NE1⁄4,
with conditions, or disapproval of the Amendment to Noncompetitive Land N1⁄2SW1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4, and
revised MLA mining plan to the Use Lease MTM 74913, Montana N1⁄2SE1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4.
Secretary of the Interior, which is why Sec. 8, N1⁄2SW1⁄4NW1⁄4.
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, The areas described aggregate 255 acres.
it is a cooperator in this EIS. Interior.
In order to help facilitate its analysis, ACTION: Notice. The BLM is considering amending the
the BLM is providing interested parties existing LUL, which is 222.12 acres. The
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
the opportunity to submit comments SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land amendment would modify its size to
and relevant information to help the Management (BLM) has received a authorize the surface use of 255
BLM identify issues to be considered in proposal to amend Spring Creek Coal, additional acres of public lands for coal
preparing the Spring Creek Coal EIS. LLC’s existing Land Use Lease (LUL) mine layback, establishing a highwall
Issues that have been identified in MTM–74913, pursuant to Section 302 of crest, topsoil and overburden stockpiles,
analyzing the impacts of previous the Federal Land Policy and and transportation and utility corridors
Federal coal-leasing actions in the Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as on Spring Creek Coal, LLC’s existing
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Document Created: 2016-12-14 00:48:54
Document Modified: 2016-12-14 00:48:54
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | Public scoping meetings to provide the public with an opportunity to review the proposals and gain understanding of the coal leasing process will be held by the BLM. The dates and locations of any scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through local media outlets and through the Miles City BLM Web site at: www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/miles_city_field_office.html. At the meetings, the public is invited to submit comments and resource information, plus identify issues or concerns to be considered in the environmental analysis. The BLM can best use public input if comments and resource information are submitted in writing by February 13, 2017. We will provide additional opportunities for public participation upon publication of the Draft EIS. | |
| Contact | Irma Nansel, Planning and Environmental Coordinator; telephone 406-233-3653. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 90380 |
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