[Federal Register: August 4, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 149)]
[Notices]               
[Page 41586-41587]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04au98-88]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[MT-921-08-1320-01; NDM 86601]

 
Availability of Final Environmental Analysis and Request for 
Comments on the Fair Market Value and Maximum Economic Recovery; Coal 
Lease Application NDM 86601--Knife River Corporation

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management requests public comment on the 
final environmental analysis, maximum economic recovery, and the fair 
market value of certain coal resources it proposes to offer for 
competitive lease sale.
    The land included in Coal Lease Application NDM 86601, located in 
Mercer County, North Dakota, and is described as follows:

T. 143 N., R. 88 W., 5th P.M.
    Sec. 24: NW\1/4\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\,

    Containing 360.000 acres

    There are three principal minable coal seams in the tract. They are 
the School House, Upper Beulah-Zap, and Lower Beulah-Zap. The tract 
contains an estimated 6.21 million tons of recoverable reserves.
    The School House seam averages 5.8 feet in thickness. Coal quality, 
as received, averages 6643 BTU/lb., 36.66 percent moisture, 10.43 
percent ash, and 1.24 percent sulfur.
    The Upper Beulah-Zap seam averages 10.9 feet in thickness. Coal 
quality, as received, averages 6776 BTU/lb., 38.52 percent moisture, 
5.94 percent ash, and 0.49 percent sulfur.
    The Lower Beulah-Zap seam averages 3.5 feet in thickness. Coal 
quality, as received, averages 6717 BTU/lb., 38.27 percent moisture, 
7.32 percent ash, and 0.76 percent sulfur.
    The public is invited to submit written comments on the 
environmental analysis, fair market value, and the maximum economic 
recovery of the tract.
    In addition, notice is also given that a public hearing will be 
held on

[[Page 41587]]

Monday, August 17, 1998, on the environmental assessment, the proposed 
lease sale, the fair market value, and maximum economic recovery of the 
proposed lease tract.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 17, 1998. The 
public hearing will be held at 1:00 p.m. on the same date, at the 
Dickinson Field Office, 2933 Third Avenue West, Dickinson, North 
Dakota.

ADDRESSES: For more complete data on this tract, please contact Rebecca 
Good (telephone 406-255-2828), Bureau of Land Management, Montana State 
Office, 222 North 32nd Street, P.O. Box 36800, Billings, Montana 59107 
or Gene Campbell (telephone 701-225-9148), Bureau of Land Management, 
Dickinson Field Office, 2933 Third Avenue West, Dickinson, North Dakota 
58601-2619. Copies of the environmental assessment are available at 
both addresses.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Federal Coal 
Management Regulations 43 CFR 3422 and 3425, not less than 30 days 
prior to publication of a notice of sale, the Secretary shall solicit 
public comments on the environmental assessment, the proposed sale, 
fair market value, and maximum economic recovery on the proposed lease 
tract. Proprietary data marked as confidential may be submitted to the 
Bureau of Land Management 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 3 public on fair market value and 
maximum economic recovery, except those portions identified as 
proprietary by the author and meeting exemptions stated in the Freedom 
of Information Act, will be available for public inspection at the 
Bureau of Land Management, 222 North 32nd Street, Billings, Montana, 
during regular business hours (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) Monday through 
Friday.
    Comments should be sent to the Bureau of Land Management P.O. Box 
36800, Billings, Montana 59107 and should include, but not necessarily 
be limited to, the following:
    1. The quality and quantity of the coal resources.
    2. The mining method or methods which would achieve maximum 
economic recovery of the coal including specification of the seams to 
be mined, timing and rate of production, restriction to mining, and 
inclusion of the tract in an existing mining operation.
    3. The fair market value appraisal including but not limited to the 
evaluation of the tract as an incremental unit of an existing mine, 
selling price of the coal, mining and reclamation costs, net present 
value discount factors, depreciation and other tax accounting factors, 
value of the surface estate, and any comparable sales data of similar 
coal lands.
    The values given above may or may not change as a result of 
comments received from the public and changes in market conditions 
between now and when final economic evaluations are completed.

    Dated: July 29, 1998.
Janet Singer,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 98-20721 Filed 8-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DN-P