83 FR 8708 - Notice To Reopen the Public Comment Period on the Western Energy Company's Rosebud Mine Area F Draft Environmental Impact Statement
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 40 (February 28, 2018)
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 40 (February 28, 2018)
| Page Range | 8708-8708 | |
| FR Document | 2018-04068 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 2018)] [Notices] [Page 8708] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-04068] [[Page 8708]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
![8708 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 40 / Wednesday, February 28, 2018 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Coordinator; Telephone: 303–293–5036; Interior’s NEPA regulations, OSMRE
Address: 1999 Broadway Street, Suite solicits public comments on the Draft
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation 3320, Denver, Colorado 80202–3050; EIS. Comments on the Draft EIS may be
and Enforcement email: lsholar@osmre.gov. submitted in writing or by email. At the
[S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On top of your letter or in the subject line
189S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX064A00 January 3, 2018 (83 FR 393), we of your message indicate that the
18XS501520] published a notice of availability (NOA) comments are ‘‘Western Energy Area F
for the Draft EIS for the Western Energy Draft EIS Comments.’’
Notice To Reopen the Public Comment Company’s Rosebud Mine Area F
Period on the Western Energy You are invited to mail your
(Project), and on January 5, 2018, the comments on the Draft EIS to: ATTN:
Company’s Rosebud Mine Area F Draft U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Impact Statement Western Energy Area F EIS C/O: Nicole
(EPA) published its NOA (83 FR 678).
Bauman, ERO Resources Corporation,
AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining The NOA requested public comments
on the content of the Draft EIS. In 1842 Clarkson Street, Denver, CO 80218.
Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), You may also submit your comments
Interior. OSMRE’s NOA, we established that the
comment period would close 45 days electronically to http://svc.mt.ogv/deq/
ACTION: Reopening and extension of the publiccomment or by email to the
public comment period. after the date of publication of the EPA’s
NOA. The closing date of the public following email address: western-
SUMMARY: OSMRE and the co-lead comment period for the NOA, which energy-area-f-eis@eroresources.com. Be
agency on the Environmental Impact was published on January 5, 2018, was specific in your comments and indicate
Statement (EIS), Montana Department of February 20, 2018. In response to the chapter, page, paragraph, and
Environmental Quality (DEQ), are requests for an extension of the sentence that your comment applies to.
allowing additional time for the public comment period, we are reopening the All submissions from organizations or
to submit comments on the Draft comment period until March 5, 2018. businesses, and from individuals
Environmental Impact Statement (Draft Comments received between February identifying themselves as
EIS) for the Western Energy Company’s 20, 2018, and March 5, 2018, will be representatives or officials of
Rosebud Mine Area F (Project). We are accepted and reviewed. organizations or businesses, will be
reopening the comment period and will The January 3, 2018, NOA identified available for public review to the extent
accept comments received from the locations of repositories where the consistent with applicable law.
February 20, 2018 to March 5, 2018. Draft EIS could be reviewed and
DATES: To ensure consideration in provided instructions for submitting Before including your address, phone
developing the EIS, we must receive comments. To summarize, the Draft EIS number, email address, or other
your electronic or written comments on analyzed the impacts of continued personal identifying information in your
or before March 5, 2018. operations at the Rosebud Mine from comment, you should be aware that
ADDRESSES: The Draft EIS is available permitting and developing a new your entire comment—including your
for review at: https:// surface mine permit area, known as personal identifying information—may
www.wrcc.osmre.gov/initiatives/ permit Area F. Western Energy be publicly available at any time. While
westernEnergy/documentLibrary.shtm. submitted a permit application to DEQ you can ask us in your comment to
Paper and computer compact disk (CD) for the proposed 6,746-acre permit Area withhold your personal identifying
copies of the Draft EIS are available for F (also referred to as the project area) at information from public review, we
review at the OSMRE Western Region the Rosebud Mine, which is an existing cannot guarantee that we will be able to
Office, 1999 Broadway Street, Suite 25,455-acre surface coal mine annually do so. Comments submitted
3320, Denver, Colorado 80202. In producing 8.0 to 10.25 million tons of anonymously will be accepted and
addition, a paper and CD copy of the low-sulfur subbituminous coal. If DEQ considered; however, those who submit
Draft EIS is available for review at each approves the permit and a Federal anonymous comments may not have
of the following locations: mining plan for the Project is approved standing to appeal the subsequent
as proposed, at the current rate of decision.
Rosebud County Library, 201 North 9th
Avenue, Forsyth, MT 59327, Between the production, the operational life of the
Rosebud Mine would be extended by 8 If you would like to be placed on the
hours of 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday
through Thursday; 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. years. Mining operations in the project mailing list to receive future
Friday; 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday area, which would commence after all information, please contact the person
(Closed Sunday). permits and approvals have been listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Montana DEQ Headquarters (Lee Metcalf secured and a reclamation and CONTACT.
Building), 1520 East 6th Avenue, Helena, MT performance bond has been posted, Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.1.
59620, Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and would last 19 years. Western Energy
5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (Closed estimates that 70.8 million tons of Dated: February 22, 2018.
Saturday and Sunday). Glenda H. Owens,
recoverable coal reserves exist in the
BLM Miles City Field Office, 111 project area and would be removed Deputy Director.
Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT 59301,
during the 19-year operations period. As [FR Doc. 2018–04068 Filed 2–27–18; 8:45 am]
Between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday (Closed Saturday with other permit areas of the Rosebud BILLING CODE 4310–05–P
Mine, all coal would be combusted
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
and Sunday).
BLM State Office, Billings, MT, 5001 locally at the Colstrip and Rosebud
Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 59101, Power Plants.
Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Public Comment Procedures: In
Monday through Friday (Closed Saturday accordance with the Council on
and Sunday). Environmental Quality’s regulations for
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: implementing the National
Logan Sholar, OSMRE Project Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:25 Feb 27, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\28FEN1.SGM 28FEN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/83_FR_8748/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2018-02-28 03:20:14
Document Modified: 2018-02-28 03:20:14
| 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 | Reopening and extension of the public comment period. | |
| Dates | To ensure consideration in developing the EIS, we must receive your electronic or written comments on or before March 5, 2018. | |
| Contact | Logan Sholar, OSMRE Project | |
| FR Citation | 83 FR 8708 |
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