(Denver) The U.S. Office of Surface Mining (OSM) has scheduled eight public meetings to give the public an opportunity to comment on the scope and important concerns that should be addressed in an environmental impact statement (EIS) being prepared by OSM.

OSM is the lead Federal agency preparing an EIS to analyze the effects of Peabody Western Coal Company's proposed operation and reclamation plans for the Black Mesa and Kayenta coal mines, and several related projects including a coal slurry preparation plant, coal slurry pipeline, water wells, and water supply pipeline.

Public scoping meetings will be held in:

• Saint Michaels, Arizona, on Monday, January 3, 2005, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Saint Michaels Chapter House on Indian Route 12 about 2 miles south and west of Window Rock, Arizona.
• Forest Lake, Arizona, on Tuesday, January 4, 2005, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Forest Lake Chapter House on Navajo Route 41 about 20 miles north of Pinon, Arizona.
• Kayenta, Arizona, on Tuesday, January 4, 2005, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Kayenta Chapter House on Highway 163 at the intersection with Navajo Route 6485, Kayenta, Arizona.
• Kykotsmovi, Arizona, on Wednesday, January 5, 2005, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Community Center, Kykotsmovi, Arizona.
• Leupp, Arizona, on Thursday, January 6, 2005, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Leupp Chapter House on Navajo Route 15, Leupp, Arizona.
• Kingman, Arizona, Wednesday, January 12, 2005, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Mohave County Board Room, Negus Building, 809 E. Beale Street, Kingman, Arizona.
• Laughlin, Nevada, on Wednesday, January 12, 2005, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Laughlin Town Hall, 101 Civic Way, Laughlin, Nevada
• Flagstaff, Arizona, on Thursday, January 13, 2005, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Coconino County Board Room, 219 E. Cherry, Flagstaff, Arizona.

Interested persons may submit comments for this EIS by one of three methods: by mail to Richard Holbrook, Chief, Southwest Branch, OSM WRCC, P.O. Box 46667, Denver, Colorado 80201-6667; by courier or express delivery to Richard Holbrook, Chief, Southwest Branch, OSM WRCC, 1999 Broadway, Suite 3320, Denver, Colorado 80202-5733; or by electronic mail to BMK-EIS@osmre.gov. To ensure consideration in the preparation of the draft EIS, comments must be received by 4 p.m. on January 21, 2005.

The contiguous Black Mesa and Kayenta surface coal mines have operated since 1970 and 1973, respectively. Peabody Western Coal Company operates the mines on three leaseholds comprising about 65,000 acres within the boundaries of the Navajo and Hopi Reservations. The mines are located on the Black Mesa about 125 miles northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, and 25 miles southwest of Kayenta, Arizona.

The Kayenta Mine produces about 8.5 million tons of coal per year, all of which are delivered to the Navajo Generating Station near Page, Arizona, by electric railroad. Currently, the Kayenta Mine is to provide coal to the Navajo Generating Station through 2011.

The Black Mesa Mine produces about 4.8 million tons of coal annually, all of which are delivered to the Mohave Generating Station at Laughlin, Nevada, through the 273-mile long Coal Slurry Pipeline originating at the Black Mesa Coal Slurry Preparation Plant. Currently, the Black Mesa Mine is to provide coal to the Mohave Generating Station through 2005.

Projects related to the mines are the Coal Slurry Preparation Plant at the Black Mesa Mine; the reconstruction of the 273-mile long Coal Slurry Pipeline across northern Arizona from the Coal Slurry Preparation Plant to the Mohave Generating Station in Laughlin, Nevada; the construction and operation of water wells in the Coconino aquifer northwest of Winslow, Arizona; and construction and operation of a water supply pipeline running about 120 miles across the Navajo and Hopi Reservations from the wells to the Coal Slurry Preparation Plant.

For more detailed information concerning the projects and meetings, OSM invites the reader to visit the following address: www.wrcc.osmre.gov/bmk-eis.